Home Care in London

London has 2,433 CQC registered home care agencies. 1,224 are rated Good, 31 Outstanding, 172 Requires improvement, 4 Inadequate, and 1,002 have not yet been rated. 1,064 of the 2,433 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Planning and paying for home care in London

Home care in London covers a wide spread of support, from a short daily visit to help with washing and medication through to several calls a day or a live-in arrangement. With 1,136 home care agencies registered across the capital, most families find the practical question is not whether help exists but how to shape it around a person's routine, health needs and budget. A clear plan usually begins with an honest conversation about what is difficult now, what might become difficult in the coming year, and who is available to help informally.

Starting with a care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need support is entitled to a free care needs assessment from their local council's adult social care team. For residents living within the Square Mile, this is arranged through City of London Corporation Adult Social Care, while people living elsewhere in the capital should contact their own borough. The assessor will look at daily tasks, safety at home, mental wellbeing and the pressure on any family carers, then suggest a support plan. If eligible needs are identified, a separate financial assessment decides how much the council will contribute.

Typical costs and funding routes

Home care in London is usually charged by the hour, and rates tend to sit above the national average because of higher staff and travel costs across the city. Live-in care is priced as a weekly package instead. Where someone qualifies for council funding, care can be arranged directly or through a direct payment so the family chooses the agency themselves. Self-funders pay privately, and NHS Continuing Healthcare may cover the full cost where needs are primarily health related. Attendance Allowance is worth checking regardless of savings, as it is not means tested.

Choosing a home care agency and what to check

The 1,136 agencies on this list include national names alongside smaller local providers such as BM Homecare Limited, CLIA Care, Dignity Direct Homecare Limited, Caremark Ealing and Helping Hands Kensington and Chelsea. Coverage varies street by street, so it is worth asking two or three agencies whether they can reliably staff the visit times you actually need, particularly early mornings and evenings when demand is highest.

Reading CQC ratings sensibly

Every agency on this page is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Across the London providers listed here you will see a mix of Good ratings, some rated Requires Improvement, and a number that are not yet rated because they are newer services or have not had their first full inspection. A "not yet rated" status is not a warning sign on its own, but it does mean you should read the registration details and ask more questions during your enquiry. For any agency rated Requires Improvement, look at the inspection report to see which specific areas the CQC flagged and what the provider has done since.

Questions to ask before signing

Ask how the agency matches carers to clients, whether you will see the same small team each week, and how visits are covered when a regular carer is off sick or on leave. Check the minimum visit length, since very short calls rarely allow time for personal care done well. Confirm how medication is recorded, how the office is contacted out of hours, and what the notice period is if the arrangement is not working. A good provider will welcome these questions and put the answers in writing.

Related searches

• Care Homes in London
• Nursing Homes in London

Home Care near London

• Barking
• Woodford Green
• Ilford
• Beckenham
• Thornton Heath
• Mitcham
• Wembley
• Enfield
• Welling
• Brentford