Arranging care in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames sits in south west London, straddling the Thames and covering Richmond, Twickenham, Teddington, Barnes and Ham. It is the only London borough with land on both sides of the river, and its mix of leafy residential streets, riverside villages and busy town centres shapes the kind of care that families here tend to look for, from support at home in a quiet Teddington street to a residential setting closer to Twickenham or Barnes.
How adult social care works locally
If you or an older relative in Richmond upon Thames is starting to struggle day to day, the first step is to contact the council's Adult Social Care team. They will arrange a free needs assessment under the Care Act, looking at things like washing, dressing, mobility, medication and how safe someone is at home. If the assessment shows eligible needs, a financial assessment then looks at income and savings to work out how much the council will contribute and how much the person pays themselves. Carers living in the borough can also ask for a separate carer's assessment in their own right.
The local care market
Richmond upon Thames has around 70 CQC registered care homes across the borough, giving families a reasonable choice between smaller residential care homes, larger nursing homes and specialist dementia settings in areas like Ham, Richmond and Twickenham. Many people also prefer to stay put with visiting home care, which can be arranged alongside day centres, community groups and reablement support after a hospital stay.
Paying for care and typical fees
Funding usually comes from a mix of council contributions, NHS Continuing Healthcare where someone qualifies, Attendance Allowance, and self funding from savings, pensions or housing wealth. National capital thresholds decide whether the council helps with the bill. As a rough guide for the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, home care tends to sit around £25 to £32 an hour, residential care homes around £1,200 to £1,600 a week, and nursing homes higher again once nursing needs are factored in. Getting quotes from two or three providers in Richmond upon Thames is a sensible starting point.
