Our main service
One carer. Your home. Your routine.
A carefully matched carer lives in the house and supports the day as it actually runs — quietly, and only where help is genuinely needed.
Live-in care means one carer moves into the spare room and becomes part of the household. They are there through the day for whatever is difficult — getting up, washing and dressing, medication, meals, getting out of the house — and they are there overnight in case something happens.
What it does not mean is being taken over. Most people we speak to are still doing a great deal for themselves. The job is to hold the parts that have become hard, and leave everything else alone.
It is usually arranged for one of three reasons: a fall or a hospital stay has knocked someone's confidence, a family carer is at the end of what they can manage, or a diagnosis has made the future feel uncertain. All three are normal reasons to pick up the phone.
The detail that matters
What this looks like in practice
A full day of support, not a fifteen-minute visit
Home care visits are timed. Live-in care is not. There is no rush to get to the next call, which is what changes the feel of the day.
Nights are covered
Someone is in the house. For families who have been sleeping with the phone on the pillow, this is often the single biggest relief.
The carer needs a room
A private bedroom and somewhere to make a cup of tea. It does not need to be large. They take proper breaks during the day and have time off each week, which we cover.
It often costs less than two people in a care home
The fee is for the household rather than per person, so for couples the comparison usually shifts considerably.
It can be short-term
Two weeks after an operation is as valid as two years. Plenty of arrangements start as a trial.
You are not locked in
If it is not working — the person, the hours, the arrangement — we change it. That is the point of having a local team.
Is it too soon to call?
Almost nobody calls too early. Most people call about six months later than they wish they had, usually after something has gone wrong.
A conversation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. If we think you would be better served by an hour of domiciliary care a day, or by a falls assessment from the local authority, we will say so.
From first phone call to first morning
How it works
01Talk to usAn informal conversation. No forms, no commitment.
Most people call before they are ready to decide anything. Tell us what has been happening and we will tell you honestly whether live-in care is likely to help — including when we think something else would suit better.
02Free care consultationWe come to the house and listen properly.
We spend time understanding the day as it actually is: routines, sleep, medication, mobility, the house itself, what is still managed independently, and what the family is quietly picking up. It usually takes an hour or two, and it costs nothing.
03Find the right carerMatched on personality and lifestyle, not just availability.
We look for someone who fits the household — their pace, their interests, their food, their language, their sense of humour. You meet the carer before anything is agreed, and if the fit is not right, we keep looking.
04Care beginsA gentle start, then regular reviews.
The first days are introduced carefully, often with an overlap so nothing is lost in handover. We review the plan in the first fortnight and at regular intervals after that, because needs change and the plan should change with them.
01Talk to us
Most people call before they are ready to decide anything. Tell us what has been happening and we will tell you honestly whether live-in care is likely to help — including when we think something else would suit better.
The consultation is free, takes an hour or two, and commits you to nothing at all.
We also support
Dementia care
Familiar surroundings, steady routines and a carer trained in memory loss.
Find out more
Hospital to home
Support through the weeks after a discharge, when confidence takes time to return.
Find out more
Respite care
Short-term cover so the family carer can rest, travel or recover.
Find out more
Straight answers
Questions families ask
What does a live-in carer actually do?
They support the parts of the day that have become difficult: getting up, washing and dressing, medication, cooking, shopping, appointments, moving around safely, light housekeeping and company. They are also in the house overnight. They do not take over the things a person can still manage themselves.
Does the carer need their own room?
Yes. A private bedroom and access to a bathroom and kitchen. It does not need to be a large room, but it does need to be their own space, because they live there.
What happens at night?
A live-in carer sleeps in the house and is available if they are needed. If someone needs regular help through the night, that is a waking-night arrangement and we would talk to you about a second carer, because one person cannot work day and night safely.
Do carers get time off?
They do — a daily break of around two hours, and time off each week. We arrange cover for those periods so there is never a gap you have to fill.
How quickly can care start?
For a planned arrangement, usually within a week to ten days. In an urgent situation, such as a hospital discharge, it can be quicker. We would rather tell you honestly what is realistic than promise a date we cannot meet.
What if we do not get on with the carer?
Tell us. Matching is not an exact science and occasionally a pairing simply does not work. We will look again, and we will not make you feel awkward about asking.
Is live-in care only for elderly people?
No. Most of the people we support are older, but live-in care also suits younger adults with physical disabilities, people recovering from serious illness, and people who need support for a defined period rather than permanently.
Let's talk about what your family needs.
One conversation, no pressure, and an honest view of whether live-in care would help. If we think something else would suit you better, we will tell you.
or call 0800 000 0000Monday to Friday, 8am – 6pm