Arrange care at home

In many cases, live-in care can be more cost-effective than a care home, especially for couples. With live-in care, you pay for one carer to support both individuals at home, whereas a care home charges for two separate placements. While the exact cost of home care depends on the level of care required and the provider, the average cost of home care (based on 5 hours a week) comes to £135 per week, while the average cost of a residential care home is £1,406 per week.

There are many advantages to choosing home care over moving into a care home, particularly in terms of flexibility, comfort, and staying close to loved ones.

• Stay in familiar surroundings: Remaining at home with loved ones, personal belongings, pets, and memories reduces confusion and anxiety, especially for those living with dementia.
• Tailored, flexible care: Receive care designed around individual needs, from occasional support to full-time live-in care, with the ability to adjust as needs change.
• Maintain independence and routine: Maintaining familiar routines, including mealtimes, activities, and hobbies, promotes independence and wellbeing.
• Dedicated, one-to-one support: Benefit from personalised, focused care in the comfort of your own home.
• Cost-effectiveness: Pay only for the care needed, with live-in care often being a cost-effective alternative to a care home for those needing round-the-clock support.

Yes, you are able to choose your own carer if you go straight to a carer rather than through an agency. If you choose an agency, you will be matched with a carer with the agency’s help. While each agency's exact process differs, most have a thorough system to ensure the best match for the person being cared for. After assessing your care needs and understanding medical conditions, personal needs and daily routine, they’ll match the carer based on experience, personality and any language or cultural preferences. Lottie’s Care Experts can help you decide which route is best for you - just complete our personalised, free home care shortlist.

Yes, many providers offer urgent or same-day care in cases such as hospital discharge, sudden illness, or a family carer being unavailable. Availability depends on the agency and location, so it’s best to contact them as soon as possible.

Yes, in some cases, you can receive free care at home through the NHS or your local council. Here's how:

NHS continuing healthcare (CHC): If you have a severe, complex, or unpredictable health condition, the NHS may fully fund your care at home, covering medical, personal, and nursing care. Learn more about NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Free home adaptations & equipment: If you need essential equipment or small home adaptations (under £1,000), your local council must provide them for free. This includes grab rails, stair rails, and walking aids. Larger adaptations can also be provided through the Disabled Facilities Grant.

Free care after hospital discharge: You may qualify for up to six weeks of free home care after a hospital stay to help you regain independence. Services include carer support, mobility aids, and home adjustments.

How to Apply?

• CHC funding - Ask a GP, nurse, or social worker to arrange an assessment.
• Home adaptations - Contact your local council for a home assessment.
• Care after hospital - If eligible, hospital staff will arrange support before discharge.

All professional home carers must pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they’re allowed to provide care. Most carers also hold care-specific qualifications, such as NVQs or Diplomas in Health and Social Care, and complete regular training in areas like personal care, medication handling, dementia, and safeguarding.

At Lottie, we only list home care agencies that have been carefully vetted by our team before being added to our marketplace, so you can feel confident you're choosing from trusted, experienced care providers.

The key difference is how often care is provided and how present the carer is in your home:

• Hourly care gives flexible support during the day, such as help with getting up, preparing meals, medication, or companionship.
• Overnight care supports you through the night. This can mean two things: a carer who sleeps in your home in case help is needed; or someone who stays awake to provide ongoing support.
• Live-in care means a carer stays in your home full-time, offering round-the-clock help, usually on a rotating schedule.

All of these options can be tailored around your daily routines, personal preferences, and the level of care you need.

Yes, home care is highly flexible and can be arranged for either short or long periods of time. Some people use it for a few weeks after a hospital stay, during illness, or while family carers take a break. Others arrange long-term support for ongoing conditions, mobility challenges, or day-to-day personal care. One of the benefits of home care is that it can be adapted over time — increasing or decreasing as needs change.

No — you don’t need a care needs assessment to arrange home care privately. A care needs assessment is only required if you're applying for financial support from your local council. This free assessment looks at your day-to-day needs and helps determine whether you qualify for funded care. If you’re ready to arrange home care now, you can save time on comparing local home care agencies yourself and simply request a free shortlist of trusted agencies through Lottie.

Yes, home care can be vital to recovering well at home after an illness, injury, or hospital stay. This type of care - sometimes known as post-operative care - is usually short-term and focuses on supporting recovery with tasks like washing and dressing, medication reminders, meal preparation, and mobility. Home care after a hospital stay, injury or illness can also provide emotional support and reassurance during what is often a vulnerable time. It’s a practical alternative to staying in hospital longer and can help you regain independence at your own pace — with support that adapts as you recover.

For many people, yes. Live-in care offers one-to-one support while allowing you to stay in your own home, surrounded by familiar routines, belongings and spaces. It can be a great option for people living with dementia, long-term conditions, or mobility difficulties, and offers a high level of personalisation that residential care sometimes can’t match. While a residential care home may be more suitable for some, live-in care allows people to remain at home with the reassurance of consistent, full-time support.

Home care is designed to fit around your lifestyle and routines — not the other way around. You can increase or reduce support as your needs change, whether that’s adding extra visits during recovery, adjusting timings, or scaling back as you regain independence. A good home care agency will regularly review your care plan with you and make changes based on how you're feeling, what you need, and what works best for your routine.