Alternatives to Country Cousins for live-in care

Country Cousins calls itself the UK's longest-serving introductory live-in care provider and says it has introduced carers since 1959. Its carers are self-employed and contracted directly by you, and it says it is not CQC registered. It joined the Trinity Homecare Group in 2020, and fully managed care comes from Trinity. It says it provides carers nationwide to more than 500 clients each week and can often have care in place within 24 hours.

It says carers have an interview, an induction, two professional references, a DBS or PVG check and at least 6 months' experience. It publishes live-in care from £1,155 a week (its figure for October 2026), and from £1,225 for arrangements under four weeks. On top of that are a one-off registration fee, an agency fee and the carer's travel, and the carer invoices you each week. On Trustpilot it showed 4.7 from 133 reviews on 4 November 2026.

• Elder

  Alternatives to ElderIntroductory

  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

• Consultus Care & Nursing

  Alternatives to Consultus Care & NursingBoth

  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

• Curam

  Alternatives to CuramBoth

  Describes itself as a home care platform that connects families directly with self-employed carers. It also runs Curam Managed Care, which it says is CQC registered.

  Published price: Average hourly rate £20.50 and £1,200 a week for live-in (Curam's figures for August 2025), with a 12% client fee added to invoices.

  Source: curamcare.com, Curam Managed Care, Curam client information, checked 19 October 2026

• Trinity Homecare

  Alternatives to Trinity HomecareCQC-registered managed agency

  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

• Hometouch

  Alternatives to HometouchBoth

  Runs an introductory model, which it says has operated since 2015 and is not regulated by the CQC, and a separate managed care service that is CQC regulated.

  Published price: Introductory care from £1,400 a week, regulated care from £1,500 a week.

  Source: myhometouch.com, Hometouch pricing, checked 19 October 2026

• PrimeCarers

  Alternatives to PrimeCarersIntroductory

  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

• Edyn

  Alternatives to EdynCQC-registered managed agency

  Fully managed live-in care, which it describes as CQC-regulated in England, with one carer in the home supported by a care manager and care coordinator. It says every carer has an enhanced DBS check, three references and at least 12 months of professional care experience.

  Published price: Live-in from £1,395 a week for one person (up to £1,895 for its advanced tier) and from £1,695 when both partners need care, final price after an assessment.

  Source: edyn.care, Edyn pricing, Edyn carers, checked 4 November 2026

• Agincare

  Alternatives to AgincareCQC-registered managed agency

  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

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.