ßÙßÇÂþ»­

If you or someone you care for needs help to stay independent at home, you might be thinking about home care.

What is home care?

Home care means getting help at home from a care worker. Sometimes it is also called domiciliary care or home-based care.

Care workers can help with:

• washing and dressing
• making meals
• taking medicine
• getting to appointments
• staying safe and well

You can get care:

• a few times a week
• every day
• just at weekends
• 24 hours a day with a live-in care worker

Where to start?

What do you need help with?

Think about what’s hard to do on your own. This might include:

• making meals
• going to the toilet
• getting dressed
• taking medicine
• cleaning
• shopping
• getting to appointments

Do you need a care needs assessment?

If you’re not sure what help you need, ask ßÙßÇÂþ»­’s Adult Social Care team for a social care needs assessment. A professional will talk with you to understand:

• what’s worrying you
• what matters most to you
• what you’ve already tried to stay independent or feel better
• what might help next

They can also speak with your family or carer if you want.

If Adult Social Care agrees to help based on your eligibility and funding status, they can arrange a local home care agency to support you.

To find more about eligibility see Who can get support from Adult Social Care?

If you are arranging and paying for care yourself, you can still:

• ask for a social care needs assessment
• ask them to arrange a home care agency to support you at home.
• contact the Adult Social Care Information and Advice Service for further information

Finding a care provider

Search for local home care providers in ßÙßÇÂþ»­ using:

If you are looking for home care providers outside ßÙßÇÂþ»­ or near the borders, visit the .

Before choosing a provider:

• ask for testimonies or to speak to a current client
• check that they cover your area

All home care providers must be regulated by the CQC. They are rated on whether their service is:

• safe
• effective
• caring
• responsive
• well-led

Ratings are:

• Outstanding
• Good
• Requires Improvement
• Inadequate

You can check a provider’s rating and report on the and via .  CQC also offers a guide called, on their website.

Can I get help with costs?

Most people pay something towards their care. What you pay depends on what you can afford.

If you have more than £24,500 in savings and assets you pay the full cost of your care. This does not include the value of your main home. From 2 February 2026 this amount changes to £23,250.

If you have less than £24,500 (or £23,250 from 2 February 2026):

• you can ask Adult Social Care for a financial assessment
• this will work out whether you pay all, some or none of the cost

The financial assessment looks at:

• your savings and assets (sometimes called capital)
• your income
• your personal allowance
• your household costs
• any disability-related expenditure

You can complete an assessment online, see Who can get support from Adult Social Care?

Get financial advice

Always get independent financial advice before making long-term care decisions. Some advisers are qualified to help with care planning and are accredited by the ).

SOLLA's contact details are:

• Telephone: 0333 2020 454
• Textphone (via Relay UK): 18001 0333 2020 454
• Email: admin@societyoflaterlifeadvisers.co.uk

Questions to ask home care providers

Types of care provided

• What makes them different to other home care companies?
• Do they support people with specific needs, such as:
  • dementia
  • sensory impairment
  • frailty or poor mobility
  • brain injury
  • physical disabilities in younger adults
  • learning disabilities or autism
  • complex care needs
• What type of support do they provide?
  • companionship care – befriending, support to attend activities, outings or appointments
  • personal care – getting dressed, bathing and toileting
  • housekeeping – cleaning, shopping, making meals, running errands, transport to appointments
  • skilled medical care – help with taking medicine
• Can they provide double-handed care if two care workers are needed?
• If you need live-in care, how many hours a day can they support you?

Availability and scheduling

• Do they offer a trial period?
• How do they choose which care workers will support you?
• Can you meet your care worker before they start?
• Will you have regular care workers?
• How do you agree how often visits happen?
• How long is a typical visit?
• Will care works come at set times?
• What happens if you need to change or cancel a visit?
• What happens if your care worker is sick or on holiday?

Care worker preferences and training

• Do they employ both male and female care workers?
• Can you ask for a care worker of a certain gender, age, similar interest or language?
• What happens if you don’t get on with a care worker?
• What training do care workers receive?
• What checks do they carry out to make sure staff are safe to work?

Costs

• How much will you have to pay?
• What are the hourly or visit rates for weekdays and weekends?
• Are there extra charges for emergency support or anti-social hours?
• Do costs go up each year or at other times?
• Do they support people funded by ßÙßÇÂþ»­?

Emergency and extra support

• How do you contact the agency out of hours in an emergency?
• How do you ask for more support if your needs change?

Communication and reviews

• Do they work with ßÙßÇÂþ»­?
• How do they communicate with other professionals and your family? (phone, text, email, app)
• Can you access your care notes? Can your family see them if you give permission?
• How often is your support reviewed?
• How can you give feedback?
• Can you pause the service if you go into hospital or have family support?
• What notice do you need to give to stop the service?

Documents to ask for

Request:

• a copy of their contract terms - read it carefully or ask someone you trust to help
• a copy of their complaints process
• their latest CQC rating and report