Question 1

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Leicester?

Accepted Answer

Contact the adult social care team at Leicester City Council and ask for an assessment, which can be requested by the person needing care or by someone acting for them. The assessment costs nothing and has no savings test, because the right belongs to anyone who appears to need care and support. A practitioner will look at daily routines, safety at home and the help family are already giving before advising on the support required. If the person is currently in hospital, the discharge team can begin the same process from the ward.

Question 2

Can Leicester City Council help pay for care at home?

Accepted Answer

It can, where the care needs assessment establishes that support is needed and the financial assessment places capital below the national threshold. The council then funds the agreed hours and the person pays a contribution worked out from their income rather than a fixed charge. Those with capital above the threshold pay privately, but can still request an assessment and use the council for advice. Some people take their funding as a direct payment and arrange their own agency with it.

Question 3

How many home care agencies are there in Leicester?

Accepted Answer

One hundred and eighty three home care agencies registered with the Care Quality Commission are listed for Leicester on this page. They include long established providers alongside a large number of agencies that have registered relatively recently. Each listing carries the provider name and its current inspection rating where the Care Quality Commission has awarded one. A substantial proportion have not yet been inspected, so many profiles show registration details rather than a rating.

Question 4

Is home care different from a care home or a nursing home?

Accepted Answer

Home care sends carers to a person in their own house for planned visits, so daily life and surroundings stay as they are. A care home provides accommodation with personal care built in, meaning support is on hand at any hour rather than only at arranged times. A nursing home offers the same plus registered nurses on site for clinical needs. Home care generally fits people whose needs can be met within scheduled calls, and hours are often increased before residential care is considered.

Question 5

How soon should I start contacting agencies in Leicester?

Accepted Answer

Begin as soon as managing at home starts to look difficult, rather than waiting for a fall or a hospital admission to force a rushed arrangement. Agencies do not always have capacity at the busiest times of day, particularly early mornings and teatime, so a little notice widens the choice considerably. Starting early also allows the assessment and any financial checks to finish at a reasonable pace. Where care is needed at short notice, an agency with availability can usually be found, but with less room to be selective.

Question 6

What should I ask before agreeing to a care package?

Accepted Answer

Ask how many different carers will visit each week and whether the rota is shared in advance, as continuity shapes the experience more than any other factor. Ask how sickness and holidays are covered, what happens when a visit runs late, and who answers the telephone outside office hours. Confirm the rate per hour or per visit and whether evenings, weekends and bank holidays cost more. It is also reasonable to ask how carers are trained and supervised, and how you would raise a concern if one arose.

Home Care in Leicester

185 home care in Leicester (showing 151–185)