The short answer
- Three routes, and the difference is who does the workA care agency, an introductory service, or finding a carer directly. Each does a different share of the vetting, choosing and managing for you.
- Cost mostly reflects how much is done for youAn agency's fully managed service typically runs £1,120 to £1,750 a week. On an introductory service such as PrimeCarers it is £1,050 to £1,400+, the carer's own rate with the introduction fee included.
- Only an agency or an introductory service checks the carer for youFind a carer directly and every check, from identity to a criminal record, is yours to arrange.
- Whichever route you pick, agree it in writing before day onePay, hours, notice and what happens if it does not work out. A conversation now saves an argument later.
PrimeCarers is an introductory service. It is not a care agency and is not registered with the Care Quality Commission, because it introduces you to a self-employed carer rather than managing the care itself.
Three ways to find one
The three ways families find a live-in carer
Every route to a live-in carer is one of these three, or a mix of them. The main difference between them is who does the work of checking the carer, who you get to choose from, and who manages the arrangement once the carer is in the house.
An introductory service, such as PrimeCarers
£1,050 to £1,400+ a week
the carer's own rate with the introduction fee included
- Who checks the carer
- ID checked, right to work checked and an enhanced DBS check on the Update Service, plus an online interview, before the carer appears in a search.
- Who you choose from
- You. You search profiles by postcode, read reviews and message the carers you like yourself.
- Who manages pay and notice
- You and the carer, who is self-employed, agree pay, hours and notice between you and put it in writing.
Fits a family who wants to choose their own carer and pay close to the carer's own rate, and who is comfortable agreeing terms directly.
A fully managed care agency
£1,120 to £1,750 a week
the agency's charge, with care and management included
- Who checks the carer
- Vetted and managed by the agency itself, as part of a service registered with the Care Quality Commission.
- Who you choose from
- The agency. It matches a carer to your relative and can usually send someone else if the first carer is unwell or leaves.
- Who manages pay and notice
- The agency. It employs or contracts the carer, runs the rota, and handles payroll and cover.
Fits a family who wants the whole arrangement handled for them, including a replacement carer at short notice, and can pay the premium for that.
Finding a carer directly
Agreed carer to carer, with no published range
often close to what an introductory-service carer charges, since there is no agency margin either way
- Who checks the carer
- You, in full. Nobody else checks identity, right to work, a criminal record or references unless you arrange each one yourself.
- Who you choose from
- You, from whoever answers a classified ad or a profile on a site such as PA Pool or Care.com.
- Who manages pay and notice
- You and the carer agree everything directly, usually as self-employment, with no service to fall back on if it goes wrong.
Fits someone confident running every check themselves, or who already knows the carer, for example through a personal recommendation.
Mixing routes is common and there is nothing wrong with it. A family might search an introductory service first, and if nobody nearby fits, ask an agency for a quote at the same time. What matters is knowing, before you start, how much of the checking and choosing you are taking on yourself, because that is what changes between the three. How does live-in care work? covers what the day-to-day role looks like once a carer has moved in, whichever route brought them to you.
Fully managed
What a live-in care agency arranges, and what it costs
A live-in care agency is the most hands-off route for the family. The agency recruits, checks and employs or contracts its carers, matches one to your relative, and manages the arrangement for as long as it runs.
Matching and ongoing management
Registered with the Care Quality Commission
Cover if the carer is unwell or leaves
A premium for the management, £1,120 to £1,750 a week
An agency is worth the premium for a family who wants nothing left to chance, particularly if there is no one at home who could step in for a few hours while a replacement is arranged. The cost of live-in care sets agency and non-agency prices side by side in more detail, and how can I fund live-in care? covers what the NHS, the council and your own money can each cover, whichever route you choose.
Choose your own, vetted first
Using an introductory service such as PrimeCarers
An introductory service checks carers before you ever see their profile, then lets you search, compare and choose yourself, rather than being matched by someone else. PrimeCarers is one; it introduces you to a self-employed carer and takes no ongoing role in the care itself, which is why it is not registered with the CQC in the way an agency is.
- 1
Search live-in carers near you
FreeFilter by rate, experience, reviews and availability. Every profile shows what the carer charges, so there is no quote to wait for. - 2
Every carer is checked before they appear
Done for youPrimeCarers checks identity, right to work, and runs an enhanced DBS check on the Update Service, and every carer has an online interview. Qualifications, training and references are not checked by PrimeCarers, though many carers list references on their own profile. - 3
Message two or three, and ask what matters to you
This weekSee what qualities to look for and how to interview a candidate before the call, so you ask the questions that tell you the most. - 4
Agree the rate, the fee and the notice period in writing
Before day oneThe carer sets their own rate. PrimeCarers charges an introduction fee on top, and how that works is set out on the pricing page.
Once you have a carer in mind, how do I hire a live-in carer? walks through writing the job description, the trial visit and the paperwork that turns a good conversation into a start date.
Doing it yourself
Finding a live-in carer directly, and what you take on
The most hands-on route is finding a carer without an agency or an introductory service in between: a classified ad, a site such as PA Pool or Care.com, or a personal recommendation. It can cost less, because there is no agency margin, but every check that PrimeCarers or an agency would run is now yours to arrange.
If you are finding a carer directly
0 of 7 ticked
Before you advertise or reply
Before you say yes to anyone
Hiring a carer to work directly for you and your relative, with no agency managing or directing the care, does not itself require you to register with the Care Quality Commission; that exemption is what makes this route possible for an ordinary family in the first place. It is also worth knowing that some of the same carers you might reach through a classified ad look for live-in work through carer-facing sites as well, so the pool of people is not entirely separate from the other two routes, only the checking is.
How to start
From this page to a carer in your home
Whichever route fits, the shape of the next few weeks is similar.
- 1
Decide how much you want to arrange yourself
TodayUse the comparison above. An agency if you want it handled for you, an introductory service if you want to choose and pay less, or a direct hire if you are confident running the checks yourself. - 2
Search or ask for quotes
FreeSearch live-in carers by postcode on PrimeCarers, or call two or three agencies for a quote, so you can compare a real price against the ranges above rather than an estimate. - 3
Talk to two or three carers or agencies
This weekAsk about the things that matter to your relative specifically, not just the general job description. - 4
Agree the rate, the fee and the notice period in writing
Before day oneLive-in care on PrimeCarers can be ended on 48 hours' notice at first, moving to 7 days' notice once a carer has worked 168 hours with your relative. Whatever route you choose, know the notice period before the first day, not after.
If cost is the main question left, the cost of live-in care and how can I fund live-in care? both go into more detail, is live-in care cheaper than a care home? sets the two side by side if that is the comparison you are weighing, and a council care needs assessment is free to ask for if you are not sure your relative's savings and needs mean they could get help paying towards it.
Questions
Questions families ask about finding a live-in carer
Finding a carer directly or through an introductory service such as PrimeCarers usually costs less than a fully managed agency, because there is no agency margin on top of the carer's own rate. On PrimeCarers that is £1,050 to £1,400+ a week with the introduction fee included, against £1,120 to £1,750 a week for a fully managed agency. The cost of live-in care compares all three routes in full.
Both check the carer before you meet them, just in different ways. An agency vets and manages its carers itself, as a service registered with the Care Quality Commission. PrimeCarers checks identity, right to work and runs an enhanced DBS check on the Update Service before a carer appears in a search, and every carer has an online interview, but PrimeCarers is not registered with the CQC because it does not manage or direct the care itself. How PrimeCarers vets every carer sets out exactly what is and is not checked.
No. Personal care is exempt from CQC registration where you, or a related third party such as an attorney or deputy acting for you, arrange it yourself and the carer works directly under your control, with no agency or business managing or directing the care. That exemption is what makes hiring a carer directly possible for an ordinary family without registering as a care provider.
At minimum: a basic DBS certificate showing unspent convictions, proof of the right to work in the UK, and a phone call to at least one reference rather than only reading a written one on paper. None of this happens automatically when there is no agency or introductory service between you and the carer, so it falls to you to arrange it. PrimeCarers and most agencies run a fuller check instead, including an enhanced DBS check on the Update Service; Enhanced DBS and the Update Service explains what that covers.
Yes. Searching an introductory service while also asking an agency for a quote is common, and there is no reason not to compare a real carer or a real quote from more than one route before deciding.
Look at a live-in companion rather than a live-in carer. The role and the search are different: a companion focuses on company, conversation and light help around the house rather than washing, dressing or medication. Live-in companion: what they do and where to find them covers it.
It depends on the route. An agency will usually offer a replacement as part of its service. On an introductory service or a direct hire, you search again yourself, which is part of the trade-off for the lower cost. PrimeCarers does not charge anything to search again or to end an arrangement; the contract between you and the carer sets out the notice period involved.