Live-in care is an increasingly popular alternative to moving into a residential care home or nursing home. It allows you or your loved one to receive 24-hour home care support while remaining in the comfort and familiarity of home.
For many, live-in care offers greater independence, personalised support and peace of mind without the disruption of moving out of your home.
Page contents
Some people choose live-in care as an alternative to moving into a nursing home or care home for a period of time. This enables them to stay in the comfort of their own homes.
Benefits include the ability to maintain hobbies and interests, staying close to friends and family and enabling people to live the life they want.
Live-in care can also be used for respite care as it can enable a carer to take a break from looking after someone.
What is live-in care?
Live-in care means a professional carer moves into your home to provide dedicated, one-to-one support. Unlike residential care, you stay in control of your daily routine, lifestyle and environment.
A live-in carer typically supports you throughout the day and is available overnight if needed, while still having agreed rest breaks.
Key features of live-in care:
- One-to-one personalised care
- Support in your own home
- Flexible routines based on your preferences
- 24-hour reassurance and assistance
- Continuity of care from a consistent carer
This option allows you to maintain ownership of your home, remain close to friends and family, and continue enjoying hobbies, pets and familiar surroundings.
Despite the professional carer living in your home, they are not expected to care 24-hours a day.
A typical day may be broken up into work and downtime which is based around your routines and preferences.
Most carers will work on average six to seven days a week for about 8-10 hours per day.
Is live-in care right for you?
Live-in care is ideal for people who:
- Want to avoid moving into a care home
- Value independence and routine
- Have complex or changing care needs
- Require companionship as well as practical support
- Need short-term respite or long-term care
It offers flexibility, dignity and comfort — all within your own home.
How much does live-in care cost?
Like any type of care, the costs are determined by your needs, the services required and the provider you choose.
On average in the UK, according to fee data from homecare.co.uk you can expect to pay an average of £1,302 a week for live in care.
Average live-in care costs per week (UK)
| Location | Average Weekly Cost |
|---|---|
| UK (Average) | £1,302 |
| England | £1,301 |
| Wales | £1,238 |
| Scotland | £1,360 |
It is important the live-in care package is tailored to your individual needs. This can help you avoid paying for services you do not need.
However, you may not have to pay full costs yourself. Depending on your savings, assets and income, your local council might contribute to some or all of the fees.
Additionally, people with complex health needs may have all their care funded by the NHS through NHS Continuing Healthcare.
For detailed information on live-in care costs and to find out what financial support you could receive for care at home wherever you are in the UK, see our paying for care at home section.
Benefits of live-in care
Choosing live-in care at home offers several important advantages:
1. Stay in familiar surroundings
Moving into a care home can be emotionally challenging. Remaining at home helps reduce stress and supports mental wellbeing.
2. Maintain independence
You keep control over daily routines – when you wake up, eat meals, see visitors and go out.
3. Companionship and emotional support
Loneliness can significantly affect wellbeing. A live-in carer provides meaningful companionship as well as practical care.
4. Respite for family carers
Live-in care can be arranged temporarily to give family members a well-deserved break.
5. Personalised one-to-one service
Unlike care homes, where staff support multiple residents, live-in care focuses entirely on one individual.
What does a live-in carer do?
The goal of a live-in carer’s is to increase the quality of life of the person being cared for, which is of course very individual.
Some people may only want companionship and help around the house. While others may need short-term specialist services to help with specific health issues.
You should make sure the carer is fully trained and highly qualified. They should provide a personalised service at all times.
A live-in carer should put your wellbeing first and take their time to listen to any wishes and preferences you may have.
Depending on your needs, common duties of a live-in carer can include:
- Help with getting out of bed in the morning and getting into bed at night
- Dressing and undressing
- Washing, bathing, showering and other personal care tasks
- Medication administration
- Continence management
- Support with mobility in the home and getting out and about
- Emotional support and companionship
- Hair and nail care
- Monitoring diabetes and blood pressure
- Shopping and errands
- Managing dietary and nutritional needs, cooking and meal preparation
- Cleaning, laundry and other daily domestic tasks
- Caring for pets
Live-in specialist care
Expert clinical nurses often deliver specialist live-in care services who will have extensive experience in caring for your specific needs.
This is an option for people with complex and specialist health needs who require 24-hour support and monitoring.
Specialist services can include:
- Neurological care
- Spinal injuries
- Brain injuries
- Palliative and end of life care
- Home from hospital
What are you expected to provide for the live-in carer?
As the carer will live in your home, you must provide:
- A private bedroom
- A comfortable bed and storage space
- Access to bathroom facilities
- WiFi access
- Ideally a lockable door for privacy
Providing a welcoming and safe environment ensures the carer can rest properly and provide high-quality care.
How do you find the right live-in carer?
When you receive home care, it is not just about the services provided and making sure that your health needs are met. It is equally important that the person caring for you is someone you get along with and respects your privacy, house rules and wishes.
Another important element is your budget. Home care can be expensive, so it is important to get it right.
To help you choose the right home care provider for you, read our detailed guide on how to find home care.
As you will have someone living in your home, it is paramount you ensure the care worker has been fully Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked.
You should also make sure the provider is registered with their care regulator.
Write a checklist outlining your needs and questions to ask the provider. This can help give you peace of mind and ensure you receive the home care services you need.
You can search for live in care and read reviews about the quality of care provided on homecare.co.uk at Live-in Care UK | 74227 Reviews
FAQs
What is live-in care?
Live-in care means that a professionally trained care worker moves into your home to look after you. Depending on what your needs are, the care worker will support you with personal care, help with day-to-day tasks or provide specialist medical care.
What does a live-in carer do?
A live-in carer is there to improve your quality of life through a one-to-one service, whether this is through companionship, help around the house or support for specific health issues. Duties can include help getting out of bed in the morning, dressing, washing, administering medication, managing dietary needs or specialist care such as neurological, palliative or brain injury care.
What are the benefits of live-in care?
Receiving live-in care allows you to continue to live in the comfort of your own home with all your needs taken care of. It can give you more control over your daily routines and takes away the stress and disruption caused by moving into residential care. Live-in care also enables you to maintain ownership of your home and keeping your beloved pets.
What do you need to provide for a live-in carer?
Receiving live-in care means that you will have someone else living in your house, much like a lodger. The care worker will need to have their own space to retire to when they need a break with their own bed, furniture, access to WiFi and a TV if possible. The room should ideally be lockable, so they can safely store their personal belongings.
Find home care near you
Related Articles
Expert advice straight to your inbox
Join our growing community for clear, expert guidance on finding, choosing and paying for care at home.
