Round-the-clock care, in the home they love

Everything daily life needs: personal care (washing, dressing, continence), medication, cooking, housework, shopping, trips out and, just as importantly, company. You agree a routine together so the help fits how your loved one likes to live. See a typical live-in carer’s day.

A bedroom of their own, meals (or a contribution towards food), and ideally an internet connection so they can stay in touch with their own family. That’s it; no special facilities are needed. What a live-in carer needs.

Standard live-in care for one person starts from about £1,050 a week and is typically £1,120, with our fee included. Couples or complex needs start from £1,260 and are typically around £1,340 a week: care for two is roughly a fifth more, not double. Carers set their own rates, so you can see each carer’s exact price on their profile. Read the full cost guide.

For one person it’s usually comparable to a good care home, but one-to-one rather than shared care. For couples it’s almost always significantly cheaper, because a care home charges two fees while a live-in carer looks after you both for one rate. Compare the costs in detail.

Often, yes. Attendance Allowance isn’t means-tested and most older people needing live-in care qualify. Councils contribute after a care-needs assessment, and NHS Continuing Healthcare can cover the full cost where needs are primarily health-based. Funding options explained.

Yes: a live-in carer typically takes a two-hour break each day, and sleeps at night (helping once or twice if needed). For continuous cover, carers usually work in rotating pairs so someone is always with your loved one. How live-in carers’ hours work.

Every carer passes an Enhanced DBS check, ID and right-to-work verification and an online interview with our team before they can appear in your search, and their DBS status is monitored continuously afterwards, not just checked once. The interview checks that they are caring and experienced, not that they hold a particular qualification, so check skills and training with the carer before you book. Our vetting process in full.

You choose your carer in the first place: profiles, reviews and a free interview before any commitment. If it still doesn’t feel right once care starts, tell us and we’ll help you find a replacement quickly. You’re never locked in to a carer who isn’t working out.

There’s no waiting list; it depends on which carers are free near you. Some families go from first search to care starting within days; searching is the quickest way to see who’s available now, or call us and we’ll check for you.

For live-in care our standard contract asks for 7 days’ notice, which comes in once the first week has been worked; before that, and for hourly care, it is 48 hours. The notice protects carers’ income and protects you from carers cancelling on you, and it applies to visits already agreed rather than to future work. In difficult circumstances we’ll always try to negotiate an earlier release with your carer.