Discounts & Offers

There will be different questions to ask when hiring a carer depending on your parents situation and their needs. We recommend reading our dedicated guide on the best questions to ask a home agency or provider so you can make a tailored list before you start. 

If you pay a home care provider for a carer they employ, they are regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Carers hired privately by you, even through an agency are not regulated. You will need to take up references, and carry out a DBS (police check). 

You may need to advertise the job, write a job description and interview candidates to select the right carer. Find out more about the process in our guide to hiring a carer privately. 

It may sound obvious, but a live-in carer needs to be able to “live in”! Somewhere to sleep, relax, access to the kitchen, and the all important wifi. We’ve put together some useful tips on preparing a home for a live-in carer and the essentials that would be expected. 

A care needs assessment is the start of getting care at home for your Mum from the local authority.  Being prepared for the assessment should help with the final outcome. Our guide to care needs assessments details the process and how best to prepare for it. 

Paying for care is complicated; some care is means tested and some home care will be free, for example from the NHS. Our guide to paying for care should help point you in the right direction. 

Day care, also known as domiciliary care, is care provided for set amounts of time or task during the day or night. It covers both personal care and social care. Live-in care is 24/7 care provided in the home and covers all personal and social care.  

A care provider recruits, trains and employs their own carers. You have a contract with the care provider for services such as home care, day care/domiciliary care. A care agency acts as a broker between you and the carer. You pay them a search fee, and then pay the carer you employ directly.

All live-in carers organised through care providers and agencies undergo a thorough selection and training process. Most companies will then ask you to complete a questionnaire to help them match the best carer with your elderly relative. You’ll then get the opportunity to meet the potential carer, before deciding if you’re happy with the match. You can read more about what’s involved in our guide to carer recruitment and selection.