What it is
What Alina Homecare is, in its own words
Alina Homecare says it runs as a network of branches and is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. It says its carers are selected and trained by its own academy, with no freelance or agency staff. It offers personal, companion, dementia, palliative, respite and overnight care, and 24-hour live-in care.
Its live-in page lists enhanced DBS checks, background checks and ongoing assessment. It says it charges the same live-in rates in all its areas, but it does not publish them: costs come after a first meeting. On Trustpilot it showed 4 from 96 reviews on 4 November 2026.
The alternatives
8 alternatives to Alina Homecare
Listed in no particular order. Each is labelled by how it works, with one line from its own website and a price only where it publishes one. Checked on 19 October 2026, 4 November 2026 and 5 November 2026.
Says it directly employs and trains all its carers and is regulated by the CQC and Care Inspectorate Wales. It offers visiting care and live-in care, with local care managers and a team of specialist nurses.
Published price: Live-in from £1,675 a week for one person and £2,125 for a couple (page reviewed 17 April 2026).
Source: Helping Hands live-in care, Helping Hands live-in cost, checked 19 October 2026
A network of over 255 locally owned offices in the UK since 2005, regulated by the CQC and the regulators in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Every visit lasts at least an hour, and it offers live-in care too.
Source: homeinstead.co.uk, checked 19 October 2026
Family-owned since 1986, with 100+ locations. It says it employs and pays all its care workers, including live-in carers, that all its care services are regulated by the CQC, and that its Smart Start lets you try live-in care for 2 to 4 weeks.
Published price: Live-in from £1,200 a week, couples from £1,400, and flexible live-in on set days from £695 (its live-in costs page).
Source: agincare.com, Agincare live-in costs, checked 4 November 2026
Live-in care across mainland England and visiting care in Surrey. It says its live-in carers are employed and paid directly by it, and the CQC register shows its Worcester Park service rated Outstanding. Country Cousins, an introductory service, is its sister company.
Published price: Live-in from £1,694 a week for people with lower support needs, with a quote after a free assessment.
Source: Trinity Homecare live-in care, Trinity carer FAQs, CQC register, checked 4 November 2026
Describes itself as an introductory agency connecting families across Great Britain with vetted, self-employed carers, and says it does not provide regulated care. It offers live-in care, respite stays and, in some cities, visiting care.
Published price: Live-in from £1,195 a week and respite from £1,595 a week, with its booking fee inside the price.
Source: Elder, introductory agency, Elder pricing, checked 5 November 2026
Founded in 1962 and family-owned. It offers an introductory service, where a self-employed carer works for you and you pay them directly, and a fully managed live-in service that it says is regulated by the CQC in England. It also offers live-in nursing.
Published price: Introductory live-in from £1,092 a week including its weekly agency fee, plus a £250 registration fee; managed live-in from £1,603 a week, subject to assessment.
Source: consultuscare.com, Consultus live-in costs, checked 4 November 2026
The service that wrote this page. Families search self-employed carers near them, see each carer's own rate and choose who to hire. It is not a care agency and is not CQC registered. Every carer has an ID check, a right to work check, an enhanced DBS (or PVG or Access NI) issued within the last 2 years and an online interview. We do not verify references, qualifications or training.
Published price: Hourly visits £18 to £25, live-in £1,050 to £1,400 a week, our fee included.
Source: PrimeCarers pricing, what we check, checked 19 October 2026
Home care, live-in care (including for couples) and complex care from 220 locally owned franchise offices, founded in 2004. Each office is inspected by the CQC in its own right, so ratings and prices differ by office. It gives live-in prices as a quote after a free consultation.
Source: Bluebird Care, why us, Bluebird Care live-in, checked 4 November 2026
Which kind suits you
Introductory or managed: which kind suits you
Another managed agency is the like-for-like choice. If you would rather choose the carer and agree their rate, look at an introductory service.
| Introductory service | CQC-registered managed agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Who employs the carer | Nobody. The carer is self-employed and works for you | The agency |
| Who chooses the carer | You, from profiles | The agency, usually with your input |
| Who directs the care day to day | You and the carer | The agency, through a care plan |
| If the carer cannot come | You find cover, with whatever help the service offers | The agency arranges cover |
| Registered with the CQC in England | No, because it does not provide the care | Yes, and its inspection reports are public |
| Price | Usually lower. On PrimeCarers, live-in is typically £1,120 a week | Usually higher. A typical managed live-in week is £1,120 to £1,750 |
Who employs the carer
- Introductory service
- Nobody. The carer is self-employed and works for you
- CQC-registered managed agency
- The agency
Who chooses the carer
- Introductory service
- You, from profiles
- CQC-registered managed agency
- The agency, usually with your input
Who directs the care day to day
- Introductory service
- You and the carer
- CQC-registered managed agency
- The agency, through a care plan
If the carer cannot come
- Introductory service
- You find cover, with whatever help the service offers
- CQC-registered managed agency
- The agency arranges cover
Registered with the CQC in England
- Introductory service
- No, because it does not provide the care
- CQC-registered managed agency
- Yes, and its inspection reports are public
Price
- Introductory service
- Usually lower. On PrimeCarers, live-in is typically £1,120 a week
- CQC-registered managed agency
- Usually higher. A typical managed live-in week is £1,120 to £1,750
Some providers run both models, so ask which one you are being offered. The managed range is a typical figure, not any named agency's price.
An introductory service tends to suit a family that wants to choose the carer, can be the person the carer answers to, and wants more of the price to reach the carer. A managed agency tends to suit care that is complex or clinical, a family that cannot be on hand to direct it, or anyone who wants the provider to be responsible for cover. Either way, ask which checks were done on the carer you would get, not on the company in general.
Questions
Questions about alternatives to Alina Homecare
Alina says it is regulated by the CQC. Each branch is inspected separately, so check the branch that would provide your care on the CQC website.
It says its carers are trained by its own academy, with no freelance or agency staff.
An introductory service usually costs less, because the carer is self-employed and you direct the care yourself. On PrimeCarers, an introductory service, live-in is typically £1,120 a week and hourly visits £18 to £25 an hour, our fee included.
Sources
Sources checked on 19 October 2026, 4 November 2026 and 5 November 2026
- alinahomecare.comalinahomecare.com/
- Alina Homecare, aboutalinahomecare.com/about-us/
- Alina live-in carealinahomecare.com/home-care/live-in-care/
- Alina Homecare on Trustpilotuk.trustpilot.com/review/alinahomecare.com
- Helping Hands live-in carewww.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk/live-in-care/
- Helping Hands live-in costwww.helpinghandshomecare.co.uk/costs-funding/cost-of-live-in-care/
- homeinstead.co.ukwww.homeinstead.co.uk/
- agincare.comwww.agincare.com/
- Agincare live-in costswww.agincare.com/live-in-care/costs-of-live-in-care/
- Trinity Homecare live-in carewww.trinityhomecare.co.uk/live-in-care/
- Trinity carer FAQswww.trinityhomecare.co.uk/care-jobs/live-in-carer-faqs/
- CQC registerwww.cqc.org.uk/location/1-1864053896
- Elder, introductory agencywww.elder.org/about-us/introductory-agency/
- Elder pricingwww.elder.org/pricing/
- consultuscare.comwww.consultuscare.com/
- Consultus live-in costswww.consultuscare.com/live-in-care/costs-of-live-in-care
- PrimeCarers pricing/pricing
- what we check/best-carers
- Bluebird Care, why uswww.bluebirdcare.co.uk/why-us
- Bluebird Care live-inwww.bluebirdcare.co.uk/our-services/live-in-care/live-in-care-service