How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Westminster?

Contact Westminster City Council Adult Social Care and ask for a care needs assessment, which is free and open to anyone who appears to need support at home. A social worker or occupational therapist will arrange a visit to talk through daily tasks, mobility, and safety. They will produce a written support plan recommending the type and amount of care. If finances are a concern, a separate financial assessment will follow to decide whether the council will contribute.

What should I ask when meeting a home care agency in Westminster?

Ask how carers are recruited, trained, and matched to clients, and whether you will see the same small team regularly. Check how the agency handles medication, keeps care records, and covers missed or late calls. Ask to see a sample care plan and find out how often it will be reviewed. It is also fair to ask about pricing for evenings, weekends, and bank holidays, along with notice periods in the contract.

Which agencies in Westminster offer home care?

Care Assura currently lists 21 home care agencies serving Westminster, including Bluebird Care (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea), LDN London Domiciliary Care Service, London Care (Westminster), Able Homecare Marylebone, Hedgerow Homecare, HomeLink Healthcare Limited, and Vincentian Care Plus. Two hold Outstanding ratings from the Care Quality Commission and eight are rated Good, with the remainder not yet publicly rated. You can filter the directory to compare services and read the individual profiles before making contact.

What is the difference between a home care agency and a live-in care service?

A visiting home care agency sends carers to the person's home for scheduled calls, which might be as short as half an hour or as long as several hours each day. Live-in care involves a carer moving into the home and providing support around the clock, with agreed rest breaks. Both are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and both can be arranged privately or through a council support plan. The choice usually comes down to how much support is needed and whether the person prefers company throughout the night.

Can Westminster City Council fund a home care package?

Yes, if the care needs assessment shows eligible needs and the financial assessment confirms limited savings, Westminster City Council can fund part or all of a home care package. Anyone with capital above £23,250 will normally be expected to pay their own fees in full. Some people choose a direct payment so they can select and manage their preferred agency themselves. Where needs are primarily health related, NHS Continuing Healthcare funding may apply instead.

How far in advance should I start looking for home care in Westminster?

If care is needed after a planned hospital discharge, start conversations with agencies at least two to three weeks ahead where possible. For more gradual changes at home, allow four to six weeks to request an assessment, compare providers, and agree a start date. Highly rated agencies in central London sometimes have waiting lists for the most popular time slots, particularly early mornings. Starting early gives you room to visit, ask questions, and settle on the right match without pressure.

Home Care in Westminster

Westminster has 22 CQC registered home care agencies. 8 are rated Good, 2 Outstanding, and 12 have not yet been rated. 3 of the 22 were last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Westminster at a glance

What the numbers say about home care in Westminster.

Hourly care visits, London: £22.88 to £30.05 an hour. Middle half of prices from 16 agencies.
People aged 75 and over: 12,300. Rising to 14,400 by 2035, up 16%
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 1,700. Rising to 2,000 by 2035, up 21%
People aged 85 and over: 3,400. Rising to 4,300 by 2035, up 26%
Dementia diagnosis rate: 70%. The NHS ambition is 67%.
Agencies in Westminster, last 12 months: 4 opened, 3 closed

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

Arranging and funding home care in Westminster

Home care usually begins with a conversation about what daily life looks like now and what feels harder than it used to. Whether the need is help with washing and dressing in the morning, medication prompts through the day, or a live-in arrangement after a hospital stay, the starting point is understanding the level of support required and how it will be paid for. Care Assura lists 21 home care agencies serving Westminster, so families have a reasonable choice once they know what to look for.

Requesting a care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need support with personal care, mobility, meals, or safety at home has a right to a free care needs assessment under the Care Act 2014. You can request one through Westminster City Council Adult Social Care, and a social worker or occupational therapist will visit to discuss what the person can manage independently and where help is needed. The outcome is a written support plan setting out the hours and type of care recommended. A carer living in the same household can also ask for a separate carer's assessment.

How Westminster City Council supports funding

After the needs assessment, a financial assessment looks at income and savings to decide whether the council will contribute to the cost of care. In 2024 to 2025 anyone with capital above £23,250 is expected to pay in full, while those below that threshold may receive full or partial funding from Westminster City Council. Direct payments are an option if the person wants to arrange and pay their own agency rather than accept council-commissioned care. NHS Continuing Healthcare may cover the full cost where needs are primarily health related.

Typical cost context

Hourly rates for home care in central London tend to sit above the national average, with visiting care commonly in the region of £28 to £35 an hour and live-in care running from around £1,300 a week upwards depending on complexity. Short visits of less than an hour usually cost proportionally more because of travel and minimum call charges. Always ask a shortlisted agency for a written quote covering weekends, bank holidays, and any waking or sleeping night premiums.

Choosing a home care agency in Westminster

Of the 21 agencies listed here, two hold an Outstanding rating from the Care Quality Commission, eight are rated Good, and eleven have not yet been inspected or given a public rating. A newer service without a rating is not necessarily a poor choice, but it does mean you will need to look more closely at how the agency runs day to day.

Checking regulation and reputation

Providers such as Bluebird Care (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea) and LDN London Domiciliary Care Service currently hold Outstanding ratings, while agencies including Able Homecare Marylebone, London Care (Westminster), Hedgerow Homecare, HomeLink Healthcare Limited, Onecall24 Healthcare Limited, Seaars Care Ltd, St Johns Wood, and Vincentian Care Plus are rated Good. Read the full inspection report, not just the headline rating, and pay attention to what inspectors said about safety and leadership.

Matching the agency to the person

Ask how carers are matched to clients, whether the same small team will visit each week, and how the agency covers sickness or annual leave. Find out how care plans are reviewed, how medication is recorded, and how the office communicates changes to families. For people living with dementia, sensory loss, or specific cultural or language preferences, ask directly about relevant training and staff experience before signing anything.

22 home care in Westminster

Able Homecare Marylebone · 9 Bentinck Street, London, Westminster, W1U 2EL
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Able Homecare Ltd
We at Able Homecare Marylebone are proud to provide trusted home care across Marylebone and the wider London borough of Westminster, supporting older people to live well in the place they know and love best: their own home. Operating...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care
ARDES RESOURCING · 85 Great Portland Street, London, Westminster, W1W 7LT
Home care · Run by Ardes Resourcing Limited
Ardes provides care in people's own homes in Westminster and the surrounding parts of central London. We work with older people and younger adults, with people living with dementia or mental ill health, and with people who have physical...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Bluebird Care (Kensington & Chelsea) · 77 Ashmill Street, London, Westminster, NW1 6RA
Home care · CQC Outstanding · Run by Zocalo Limited
Here at Bluebird Care Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, we provide professional home care across some of London's most vibrant and diverse communities. We support people to live well in their own homes, on their own terms, and we take...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Care · Stag House, London, Westminster, W2 5PH
Home care · CQC Good · Run by London Care Limited
We at London Care (Westminster) are proud to provide compassionate home care across the heart of London, supporting individuals to live well and safely within the comfort of their own homes in the Westminster community. Operating from the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
Comforting Care Solutions · 167-169 Great Portland Street, London, Westminster, W1W 5PF
Home care · Run by Comforting Care Solutions Limited
We are Comforting Care Solutions, based in Westminster, and we provide care in people's own homes across central London. We support older people and younger adults, and the purpose is the same in both cases: enough of the right help, at...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults
Dawn Care Services · 85 Great Portland Street, London, Westminster, W1W 7LT
Home care · Run by Dawn Care Services Ltd
We at Dawn Care welcome you to our home care agency based in the heart of London, proudly supporting individuals and families across Westminster with compassionate, personalised home care. Whether you are exploring options for an older...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Haven Bell Agency · Unit 41, London, Westminster, W2 1AH
Home care · Run by Haven Bell Ltd
We at Haven Bell London Agency are proud to offer compassionate home care across London, supporting individuals in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes throughout Westminster and the surrounding W postcode area. As a dedicated...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults
Hedgerow Homecare · Office 1, London, Westminster, NW8 7JL
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Hedgerow Homecare Ltd
At Hedgerow Homecare, we support people in their own homes across London and Westminster, helping them live as independently and comfortably as possible. We work with older people, younger adults, and individuals living with dementia,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Eating Disorders
HomeLink Healthcare · London Head Office Mimet House, London, Westminster, W2 1NJ
Home care · CQC Good · Run by HomeLink Healthcare Limited
HomeLink Healthcare provides care and support to people in their own homes in Westminster and the surrounding part of London. We work with older people and younger adults, people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities, and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Icare Health Professionals · 45 Albemarle Street, London, Westminster, W1S 4JL
Home care · Run by Icare Health Professionals Ltd
Icare Health Professionals provides care and support in people's own homes across the City of Westminster. We visit older people, people living with dementia, people managing mental health conditions, people with physical disabilities and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
J. Nissi Health Care and Medical Rehabilitation · 23 Harley Street Consultation Rooms, London, Westminster, W1G 9QN
Home care · Run by J. Nissi Health Care and Medical Rehabilitation Ltd
At J. Nissi Health Care and Medical Rehabilitation, we provide home care support to people living in London, Westminster and the surrounding areas. We work with older adults, younger adults, and individuals living with physical...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Lansdowne Homecare · The Tea House, London, Westminster, NW8 9RF
Home care · Run by Lansdowne Homecare Ltd
Lansdowne Homecare supports people in their own homes across Westminster and central London. We work with older people who need help to go on living independently, adults with physical disabilities, and younger adults whose support has to...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
LDN Domiciliary Care Service · 16a Croxley Road, London, Westminster, W9 3HL
Home care · CQC Outstanding · Run by Learning Disability Network London
At LDN London Domiciliary Care, we provide home care support to adults living in Westminster and the wider London area. Our work centres on helping people live well in their own homes, on their own terms, with the kind of support that...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism
Octavia Housing – Leonora House · 49 Lanark Road, London, Westminster, W9 1AP
Home care · Run by Abri Group Limited
Leonora House is a home care agency in Westminster, run by Octavia Housing. We provide support to older people and to adults with a learning disability living in their own homes and their own tenancies. Supported living rests on a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism
Onecall24 Healthcare · 239 Old Marylebone Road, London, Westminster, NW1 5QT
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Onecall24 Healthcare Limited
We at Onecall24 Healthcare are proud to provide compassionate home care across London, supporting individuals in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes throughout Westminster and the wider NW postcode area. Our team believes that...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Red Star Care · 7 Bell Yard, London, Westminster, WC2A 2JR
Home care · Run by Red Star Care Ltd
We are Red Star Care, a home care agency working across Westminster and the wider London area. Our work takes place in the one setting that matters most to the people we support, which is their own home. For some that means a short visit...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults
Sanjog Homecare · 403, London, Westminster, WC2N 4JF
Home care · Run by Kasansh Limited
We at Sanjog Homecare are proud to provide compassionate home care across London, supporting individuals in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes throughout Westminster and the surrounding community. Our mission is to deliver...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Seaars Care · 22-25, London, Westminster, W1H 6BS
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Seaars Care Ltd
Seaars Care is a home care agency in Westminster, supporting adults in their own homes across central London. We visit older people and younger adults, people living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with a visual...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
St Johns Wood · 45 Circus Road, London, Westminster, NW8 9JH
Home care · CQC Good · Run by HP Homecare Limited
At St Johns Wood, we provide home care support to people living in Westminster and the surrounding areas of London. We come to you, wherever you call home, and work around your life rather than asking you to fit around ours. We support a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Eating Disorders, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
STANDBY24 · 239 Old Marylebone Road, London, Westminster, NW1 5QT
Home care · Run by Standby24 Ltd
STANDBY24 provides support at home to adults in Westminster and the surrounding parts of central London. The people we work with include older people who need help to stay in their own homes, adults living with dementia, people with a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Vincentian Care Plus · Second Floor, London, Westminster, SW1W 0QP
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Vincentian Care Plus
Vincentian Care Plus supports people in their own homes across Westminster and the neighbouring parts of central London. Our work is mainly with older adults who want to stay in the home they know rather than move, and with younger adults...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults
WIR Helfen 24 · Southside, London, Westminster, SW1E 6QT
Home care · Run by WIR Helfen 24 Ltd
We at WIR Helfen 24 are proud to offer compassionate home care across London, supporting individuals and families throughout Westminster with personalised support that allows people to remain safe, comfortable, and independent in the place...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults

What home care costs

Type of care	What it costs
Hourly care visits, London Middle half of prices from 16 agencies. Median £24.48. Shown for London because too few Westminster agencies publish a rate.	£22.88 to £30.05 an hour
What Westminster pays Average hourly rate, October 2026.	£23.68 an hour
Homecare Association minimum price 2026 to 2027. The Association's estimate of the lowest price that covers the cost of delivering care. It is not a legal minimum.	£34.42 an hour
Live in care, England Middle half of prices from 62 agencies. Median £1,455.	£1,250 to £1,668 a week

Published prices come from agencies that publish rates, so treat them as a guide. Ask the agency for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.

Inspected most recently

Hedgerow Homecare, 11 June 2026, Good
Bluebird Care (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea), 17 April 2026, Outstanding
HomeLink Healthcare Limited, 6 March 2026, Good

Longest since a report

LDN London Domiciliary Care Service, 30 August 2018, Outstanding
Seaars Care Ltd, 24 June 2022, Good
J. Nissi Health Care and Medical Rehabilitation Ltd, 7 June 2023, Not yet rated

Frequently asked questions about home care in Westminster

How many home care agencies are there in Westminster?

Westminster has 22 CQC registered home care agencies: 2 Outstanding, 8 Good, 12 not yet rated. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does home care cost in Westminster?

Hourly care visits, London: £22.88 to £30.05 an hour. Middle half of prices from 16 agencies. Median £24.48. Shown for London because too few Westminster agencies publish a rate. Published prices come from agencies that publish rates, so treat them as a guide. Ask the agency for its own price.

Which home care agencies in Westminster were inspected most recently?

Hedgerow Homecare (11 June 2026), Bluebird Care (Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea) (17 April 2026) and HomeLink Healthcare Limited (6 March 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.