Detox at home vs at a clinic
When home detox is a sensible cost-effective route, and when it's genuinely unsafe.
Home detox
Medication-assisted withdrawal at home, prescribed by NHS service or private prescriber.
- Free (NHS) or £1,500–£3,500 (private)
- You stay in your own environment
- Family present throughout
- Fits into a life you don't have to pause
- Not safe for severe alcohol dependence or benzo tapers
- No 24/7 monitoring for seizures or DTs
- Environment triggers still present
- Requires a sober support person for a week
Best for: Mild-to-moderate alcohol dependence (under ~30 units/day) with no seizure history, stable home and reliable support person.
Inpatient detox
Full 24/7 medically supervised detox in a CQC-regulated clinic.
- 24/7 clinical observation — safe for severe dependence
- Rapid escalation if complications develop
- Environment fully separated from access to alcohol
- Detox usually flows straight into residential rehab
- £3,000–£8,000 for detox phase
- Requires stepping away from work / family
- NHS-funded inpatient detox slots are limited
Best for: Severe alcohol dependence (30+ units/day), any seizure or DT history, benzodiazepine dependence, opioid detox with poly-drug complications, or unstable home.
Side-by-side
| Home detox | Inpatient detox | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free (NHS) or £1,500–£3,500 | £3,000–£8,000 (detox phase) |
| Suits severe alcohol dependence | No | Yes |
| Safe with seizure history | No | Yes |
| 24/7 monitoring | No | Yes |
| Environment separation | No | Full |
| Typical medication | Chlordiazepoxide (alcohol), diazepam taper (benzos) | Chlordiazepoxide + IV fluids + monitoring |
| Length | 7–10 days | 7–14 days (usually rolls into rehab) |
Our take
Home detox is a genuinely good option for the right person: mild-to-moderate dependence, no seizure or DT history, stable and sober support at home, and a working relationship with a prescriber. Most NHS community services do home detoxes routinely and safely.
The rule that catches people out: severe alcohol withdrawal can kill. Delirium tremens has an untreated mortality of around 15%. If you drink 30+ units a day, have ever had a withdrawal seizure, or feel shaky/sweaty within a few hours of your last drink — inpatient is the answer, not home detox.
Benzodiazepines are the other case where home is usually wrong for a rapid detox: they typically need a slow taper over months, not a week.
Common questions
Is home detox from alcohol safe?▾
Home detox is safe when: daily intake is under about 30 units, there's no history of seizures or delirium tremens, someone reliable stays with you for 5–7 days, you have a prescribing GP or private prescriber, and there's no severe liver disease or other unstable medical condition. Outside those criteria, inpatient detox is materially safer.
What medication is used?▾
For alcohol detox, chlordiazepoxide (Librium) is the standard UK regimen, tapered over 7–10 days. For opioid detox, methadone or buprenorphine is standard. For benzodiazepine detox, a slow diazepam taper (often over months) is preferred — this is generally not appropriate to run rapidly at home.
How much does home detox cost?▾
NHS home detox is free via your local drug and alcohol service. Private home detox with a home-visiting nurse and prescriber costs £1,500–£3,500 typically. Inpatient detox is £3,000–£8,000 for the detox phase alone.