
they quickly became extended family members to usFiona P(Daughter of Client/Service User)



they quickly became extended family members to usFiona P(Daughter of Client/Service User)



Home Instead Durham is highly regarded in the community for high-quality, award-winning, bespoke home care that supports an independent and fulfilling lifestyle, delivered through a unique, innovative approach using a relationship-led companionship care model.
The Care Quality Commission awarded Home Instead Durham an OUTSTANDING rating (inspections held in November 2023, April 2018, and February 2016), a recognition the team values highly.
Home Instead Durham won the 'Best Employers Award' (most recently 2025)...
Home Instead Durham is highly regarded in the community for high-quality, award-winning, bespoke home care that supports an independent and fulfilling lifestyle, delivered through a unique, innovative approach using a relationship-led companionship care model.
The Care Quality Commission awarded Home Instead Durham an OUTSTANDING rating (inspections held in November 2023, April 2018, and February 2016), a recognition the team values highly.
Home Instead Durham won the 'Best Employers Award' (most recently 2025) and consistently ranks in the Top 20 of Home Care providers. In 2025, the company won the Homecare Awards 'team support and expertise' category and was highly commended in the Dementia Care Awards as a dementia-friendly business. Home Instead Durham won the 2025 Durham Business Awards for Best Home Care Award in the region and was a finalist in the 2026 Home Care Awards for the 'Training and staff development expertise' category, as well as a finalist in the 'Stars of Social Care Awards' in 2026.
The company goes to great lengths to match clients with Care Professionals, ensuring effective and respectful relationships. This approach creates a positive long-term impact built on trust, companionship, and shared interests.
All services are tailored, and Care Professionals recognise the importance of staying up to date with developing and changing needs.
Home Instead Durham has worked hard to achieve an excellent reputation as a leader in Durham for providing outstanding care to older people. The company's commitment to community involvement and inclusion is evident through successful companionship cafes and strong relationships with other professionals involved in caring for and supporting older people in the community.
Care Provided by Home Instead (Durham)
Types of Home Care
- Visiting Care
Minimum Visit Duration (Visiting Care)
- 60 minutes
Contract Durations
- Ongoing / Long Term
- Respite / Short Term
Age Ranges
- Older Person Care (65+)
- Younger Adult Care (18-65)
Personal Care Services
- Washing & Dressing
- Toileting Assistance
- Medication Assistance (Oral)
- Companionship
- Continence Care
- Feeding & Drinking Assistance
Household Services
- Cleaning Service
- Food Preparation & Serving
- Laundry Service
- Shopping Service / Errands
- Transportation Service
Other Care Provided
- Dementia
- Parkinson's Disease
- Stroke
- Cancer Care
- Palliative / End of Life Care
- Mental Health Condition
- Physical Disability
- Visual / Hearing Impairment
- Alcohol / Drug Misuse
- Hospital Discharge
Funding & Fees
Prices
Contact Home Instead (Durham) to get a personalised quote:
Available on request - Please talk to us about your needs and we can inform you of our prices.
Funding Types Accepted
- Private Funding (Self-funded)
- Direct Payments (from Local Authority/NHS)
- Local Authority (Contracted Provider)
- NHS (Contracted Provider)
Good to Know
Group / Owner
- Home Instead
- Private Owned
Person in charge
- Helen Armstrong (Operational Manager)
Home Instead (Durham) Reviews (79)
Home Instead (Durham) has a Review Score of 10 (9.984) out of 10, based on 21 reviews in the last 2 years.
Over all time Home Instead (Durham) has 79 reviews.
We have been delighted with the support provided to our elderly mother by Home Instead carers for the past few years which has enabled her to stay safely and happily in her own home. She loves the visits and the carers and looks forward to seeing them. Earlier this year Home Instead helped us...
We have been delighted with the support provided to our elderly mother by Home Instead carers for the past few years which has enabled her to stay safely and happily in her own home. She loves the visits and the carers and looks forward to seeing them. Earlier this year Home Instead helped us implement a plan to get our mum out and about more, providing carers to take her out and to enable her to get out to other social settings. The lovely carers have been brilliant at encouraging and reassuring her so she is now much more active and sociable which in turn has helped her appetite and sleep and reduced her anxiety. Having their help to look after our mum, and feeling that they know and understand her really well, has relieved us of a lot of worry and pressure.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review. We are so pleased to hear that your grandma is now more active and sociable! It is great to hear also that the care relives worry and pressure for yourselves as her family.
She is a real asset to Home Instead.
She is a real asset to Home Instead.
Thank you so much Ian for this lovely review. It has been great to hear from both you and your mam as to how much of a difference Linda has made. She certainly is an asset to our team and is very much valued.
Since January we have been using Home Instead Durham and cannot stress how wonderful the whole team have been since the very first day. My Dad was always against carers and was determined to maintain his independence even though he was struggling with all areas of his care. Now into August the...
Since January we have been using Home Instead Durham and cannot stress how wonderful the whole team have been since the very first day. My Dad was always against carers and was determined to maintain his independence even though he was struggling with all areas of his care. Now into August the team around him are like his little family and he looks forward to his daily visits. They each bring a different strength and quality to caring for him and are just amazing with him. I feel this is because it is the same team of four carers on a rota looking after him and this is so important for his care. My Dad is now like a new person and back to his normal self. At the moment he is in hospital but his little team go and check on him and just give him the companionship needed as I live away from the area. Thank you so much to all the team in Durham amazing things come out that little office and we would be lost without you.
Thank you for this wonderful review. It means so much to us to hear the difference our team is making and I am pleased that he is now home from hospital too!
We introduced our 97 year old mother to Home Instead to provide her with help and companionship whilst living in a semi independent residential home. The staff were excellent with her, quickly developing a rapport helping her to feel safe in her home environment. Unfortunately, Mum had a fall,...
We introduced our 97 year old mother to Home Instead to provide her with help and companionship whilst living in a semi independent residential home. The staff were excellent with her, quickly developing a rapport helping her to feel safe in her home environment. Unfortunately, Mum had a fall, resulting in her being moved to an intermediate bed in a care home. We are most grateful to Home Instead for their flexibility in changing arrangements at short notice to suit Mum's needs and also visiting her in the care home. It is such a shame that she had to be moved so soon after we introduced her to Home Instead but thank you so much for your support!
Thank you so much for this lovely review. It was our pleasure to support your mother in the short time we did. I am pleased you were happy with the service received and with our ability to be responsive to your mother's changing needs.
With her increasing frailty and my advancing years, I realised that I needed to accept that I needed assistance with her care if she was to continue living in her own home.
This was a difficult decision...
With her increasing frailty and my advancing years, I realised that I needed to accept that I needed assistance with her care if she was to continue living in her own home.
This was a difficult decision for me as I am a very protective daughter, with high standards and low tolerance to poor service.
I did my research and contacted Home Instead (Durham).
From the first point of.contact and after a year of using their services, I can recommend them without hesitation.
The ladies who come into my mam's house on a daily basis are absolutely delightful.. They are kind, caring, efficient, professional, trustworthy and have become like part of the family.
Likewise the office staff.
We all work together as a team and I have never regretted that initial decision to employ their services.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review. I am so pleased the service we provide has gone so well for your mam, thank you for your kind words.
My parents are both 87. My dad has dementia, and my mum is physically very frail. They have been together since they were 14 years old, and all they wanted to do was stay together in their own home. This seemed impossible until we contacted Home Instead. Mum and Dad are treated with kindness,...
My parents are both 87. My dad has dementia, and my mum is physically very frail. They have been together since they were 14 years old, and all they wanted to do was stay together in their own home. This seemed impossible until we contacted Home Instead. Mum and Dad are treated with kindness, patience and the utmost respect. They are well cared for, and Home Instead are considerate of the fact that my sister and I both work. Nothing is too much, and my parents remain happy and content in their own home.
Thank you for this lovely review. I am so pleased to hear the support of our Care Professional team enables your parents to remain together, happy, safe and content in their own home.
My mam and dad were struggling and reluctant to let strangers into their home. Home Instead was the best choice I have ever made, They were very professional and friendly and soon put my parents at ease. The carer team were fantastic and always went the extra mile to make sure my parents needs were...
My mam and dad were struggling and reluctant to let strangers into their home. Home Instead was the best choice I have ever made, They were very professional and friendly and soon put my parents at ease. The carer team were fantastic and always went the extra mile to make sure my parents needs were met. When they returned from hospital, head office contacted me to arrange for OH assessment for extra equipment. Home Instead were worth every penny and I will always highly recommend them for their high standards of professional care they provided. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this review. It was our pleasure to support both of your parents and enable them to be safe in their own home, adapting to their changing needs as required. We wish them both well and hope your mam has settled into her new home.
I am delighted to share my experience of Home Instead , who have provided invaluable care for my mum during her time in hospital, rehab and a nursing home. The level of professionalism and empathy shown by the whole team has exceeded our expectations and given us immense peace of mind throughout...
Karen, in her management role , has been nothing short of outstanding. She is consistently understanding, accommodating and genuinely caring. Her thoughtful approach has made organising care seem less. The carers Allie, Diane and Anne have each brought warmth and care to my mums life .Their kindness , patience, and gentle manner have made the world of difference . I wholeheartedly recommend Home Instead for anyone seeking dedicated , caring support for loved ones.
I will pass on your kind words to our Care Manager Karen and to your mum's team.
We have used Home Instead for almost a year now. We find the whole Home Instead team extremely helpful, very friendly and always ready to assist in anyway they can; this is across...
We have used Home Instead for almost a year now. We find the whole Home Instead team extremely helpful, very friendly and always ready to assist in anyway they can; this is across the board from the carers, reception, administration to management. The staff are on the ball to any requests we make and any new instructions are passed onto the carers immediately. The carers are very friendly and helpful especially when he asks for help or assistance. We know our friend's problems can fluctuate, however, this week we have seen a big improvement. We feel this has been contributed to by the care and attention from Home Instead with regular meal times, medications on time, the company they are giving him and the activities in which he is partaking.
For us Home Instead have been amazing just knowing he is safe and being looked after and the relief this brings us.
Thank you
Thank you all too as a group of friends and family for what you do to support D yourselves. You provide him with love, support, guidance, social stimulation and friendship and that makes a massive difference in his life.
The care and support was second to none, attention to detail from initial visit to last visit was exemplary. Nothing was a problem or issue. Carers took the time to talk with mam and get to know her, but also enjoyed a laugh along the way. First class service and care delivered on every level. Have...
The care and support was second to none, attention to detail from initial visit to last visit was exemplary. Nothing was a problem or issue. Carers took the time to talk with mam and get to know her, but also enjoyed a laugh along the way. First class service and care delivered on every level. Have no hesitation in recommending Home Instead.
Thankyou so much for your kind words. It was our pleasure to support your mum at home and I am pleased to hear she enjoyed a laugh with her team! We wish her all the best in her new home.
Home Instead have a small team that Dad and our family now know well. Any new...
Home Instead have a small team that Dad and our family now know well. Any new staff are introduced individually and come with a member of the management team on their first visit or if a change is implemented in Dads care then again each member would have to go through this with a member of the management team so everyone happy and confident with the task.
Karen has managed Dads care and is approachable and efficient and safe.
All the carers who have provided care for Dad are polite,kind and professional - which are essential qualities when treating patients with dignity in their own home. Without Home Instead's involvement our father would have needed to go into a nursing home which we are so grateful to avoid. Thank you
Thank you so much for this positive review. It is our pleasure to support your dad to remain in your family home.
Our family circumstances had changed - suddenly, I needed help with personal care for my husband. I'd been here before many years ago with my mother. The experience had taught me a lot. I learnt the essentials needed - reliability, reassurance, continuity, commitment & people who really cared about...
I was lucky to find them all at Home Instead, Durham. Real life savers who provided second to none service. The family app was handy too!
Recommend without reservation. My once proud and very active husband was treated with such dignity until the very end.
Thankyou for this heart wearing review. I am pleased we were able to respond to your husband's changing needs and adapt the service we offered so quickly. I will pass on your lovely comments to the Care Professionals involved.
From the very start we, the family and Mum, felt that Helen really took on...
From the very start we, the family and Mum, felt that Helen really took on board all that we told her about Mum her interests, likes and dislikes in a very kind and proffesional way. The staff were certainly matched up to her interests ; country pursuits, reading, art and travel. As Mum became less able to hear and see well the staff were very patient and mindful of her changing requirements. We are so disappointed that Mum has been unable to continue to be cared for at home by Home Instead. They really are a wonderful , caring organisation.
Thank you much Theresa for this wonderful review. It was our pleasure to support your mum at home over the past 5 years and get to know her so well. We really appreciate your feedback on the service we provided.
Home Instead will always go the extra mile and will do their level best to accommodate your needs.
I have no...
Home Instead will always go the extra mile and will do their level best to accommodate your needs.
I have no hesitation in recommending them - 5 star service.
I am so pleased your mum has had a great experience from Home Instead Durham.
The girls that mam has are so kind, caring and very professional, they go above and beyond to make mam happy. I personally find the time mam spends with them gives me peace of mind that she is in very safe hands.
The girls that mam has are so kind, caring and very professional, they go above and beyond to make mam happy. I personally find the time mam spends with them gives me peace of mind that she is in very safe hands.
Thank you so much for this lovely review. The team love supporting your mam and it's great to hear that it gives you peace of mind.
We have used Home Instead for several years now, first with Dad, then subsequently with Mam, and in our experience, they have been second to none. The genuine care and support my parents received has been heartwarming, and this has extended to the support we as a family feel we have had too....
We have used Home Instead for several years now, first with Dad, then subsequently with Mam, and in our experience, they have been second to none. The genuine care and support my parents received has been heartwarming, and this has extended to the support we as a family feel we have had too. Everyone has become part of our family and without this, we would not have been able to keep Mam in her own home for so long. Sadly, Dad passed away, and now Mam has moved into a care facility and the saddest part of this is that Mam (and all of us) will miss everyone very much. A big thank you to all and a high recommendation to anyone deciding on care in the future.
Thank you so much for this heart warming review. It has been our pleasure to support your parents and to get to know you as a family too. We are pleased to hear your mum has settled into her new home so well and wish her all the very best. Thank you so much for choosing Home Instead Durham.
Could not of done any better. Fabulous care and attention to mam. All staff from office to carers very accommodating and friendly and patient with mam dispute her being challenging at times. The family portal is excellent too.
Could not of done any better. Fabulous care and attention to mam. All staff from office to carers very accommodating and friendly and patient with mam dispute her being challenging at times. The family portal is excellent too.
Thank you so much for this lovely review. It has been our pleasure getting to know and supporting your mum. We hope she has settled well in her new home.
The management at Home Instead have always...
The management at Home Instead have always tried to ensure the same care givers are timetabled to Nana, this is despite her needs changing over the years. This has allowed for an amazing relationship to be built up.
The care and support given to nana over the years has always been outstanding, not only did they do her jobs, personal care and take her shopping, they provided daily companionship to her while family had to work.
As a family we couldn't recommend Home Instead more highly - they are an outstanding company who really do care about their clients individual needs. Thank you.
Thank you so much for this lovely review. It has been our absolute pleasure to support your nana in her own home over the past 4 years.
My carers have worked hard and have helped me to see that I can go forward. Needed help to realise a purpose in my life. They helped me cope and raised my spirits by their caring and progressive attitude to my situation. When returning from hospital, they worked so hard for me and with me. My...
My carers have worked hard and have helped me to see that I can go forward. Needed help to realise a purpose in my life. They helped me cope and raised my spirits by their caring and progressive attitude to my situation. When returning from hospital, they worked so hard for me and with me. My thanks to my group of carers and the office staff at Home Instead. 20 out of 10 for caring and for helping to encourage me. Love to you all.
Thank you so much for this review and for choosing Home Instead Durham. It is heartwarming to hear how much our team have made a difference in your life.
I have had a very good experience of 4 years with Home Instead. Their carers are very capable, responsible, and very nice people.
I have had a very good experience of 4 years with Home Instead. Their carers are very capable, responsible, and very nice people.
Thank you so much for this review. It has been our pleasure to support you over the past 4 years.
Regulatory Rating
Care Quality Commission (CQC) Rating
Date: 17 November 2023Outstanding
- CaringOutstanding
- EffectiveGood
- ResponsiveGood
- SafeGood
- Well-ledOutstanding
Inspection ratings
We rate most services according to how safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led they are, using four levels:
- Outstanding - The service is performing exceptionally well.
- Good - The service is performing well and meeting our expectations.
- Requires Improvement - The service isn't performing as well as it should and we have told the service how it must improve.
- Inadequate - The service is performing badly and we've taken action against the person or organisation that runs it.
- Not rated - we have not yet rated this area of the service, this is normally because the assessments we have carried out have been focused on other key questions.
News (12)
- 15 Sep 2026
Home Instead Durham were pleased to be announced as finalists in the 'Stars of Social Care Awards' 2026. Now in their forth year, these awards shine a light on the...
- 28 Jan 2026
Home Instead Durham are incredibly proud to share that we have been awarded a 5-Star Employer Award for 2025! This recognition is based on our 2025 PEAQ survey results. 'PEAQ'...
- 19 Dec 2025
We’re excited to announce that Home Instead Durham has been named as a finalist in the 2026 Home Care Awards! The Home Care Awards celebrate organisations that demonstrate outstanding quality,...
Awards / Recognitions (31)
- 29 May 2026Recipient: Home Instead (Durham)
- 29 May 2026Recipient: Home Instead
- 19 Dec 2025Recipient: Home Instead (Durham)
Accreditations
There are no accreditations posted yet for Home Instead (Durham).
Meet the Team (8)

As our Operations Manager, I am responsible for ensuring that clients have the highest quality care and that we exceed all their expectations.
I am...
As our Operations Manager, I am responsible for ensuring that clients have the highest quality care and that we exceed all their expectations.
I am registered with the CQC, which monitors the provision of care, ensuring that standards are met. I'm very proud to work for a company that has achieved an OUTSTANDING rating from CQC three times. This is the highest rating they can award, and we are so proud to have achieved this!
I have managed a variety of care settings over the last 25 years, and I always take a person-centred approach to the care we deliver.
I meet new clients and their families to discuss their needs and the type of care that they would like. We work to meet the needs of the client, and we don't expect our clients to fit in with current schedules. The client tells me when they would like their visits and for how long; I then write a care plan unique to the individual and match them with care pros to ensure a really good relationship is built.

I joined Home Instead Durham in 2019. As our Care Manager, I support our Operational Manager, Helen on a daily basis, and I have a varied role...
I joined Home Instead Durham in 2019. As our Care Manager, I support our Operational Manager, Helen on a daily basis, and I have a varied role which includes supporting and supervising our team of staff, delivering training, meeting new clients and families to plan their care, visiting clients to monitor the quality of the care they receive and directly supporting clients to ensure we are providing the best possible quality of care.

I am the Deputy Manager and Care Professional Lead, and I joined the team in 2026. I support our Care Manager, Karen, in client quality assurance and...
I am the Deputy Manager and Care Professional Lead, and I joined the team in 2026. I support our Care Manager, Karen, in client quality assurance and manage our Care Professional journey, ongoing development and competencies. I am known as the 'Queen of the Excel spreadsheet ' and manage and review trends, sharing learning from the day-to-day experiences in the business.

I joined the Durham team as a care pro in 2020, after working for another Home Instead office in Devon. in 2021 I was promoted to join the office...
I joined the Durham team as a care pro in 2020, after working for another Home Instead office in Devon. in 2021 I was promoted to join the office support team.
As our Care Quality Lead, my role is very varied. From recruitment, meeting prospective new clients and their families and developing bespoke care plans that carefully meet their needs. I support the training of our Care Professionals and I am our designated Mental Health First Aider, a role which allows me to give extra support and signposting to any of our team who need it.

I am the Relationship Manager, working between our 3 Home Instead Franchise offices: Durham, South East Northumberland and North Tyneside. I lead...
I am the Relationship Manager, working between our 3 Home Instead Franchise offices: Durham, South East Northumberland and North Tyneside. I lead our community work, building and sustaining professional relationships with those involved in providing care and support to older people in the community. I worked at Home Instead in Liverpool before moving 'up North' and joining our team in 2026.

I joined the team in 2023 as a Care Professional having moved 'up North' from another Home Instead Franchise. I am new to my role as Field Support...
I joined the team in 2023 as a Care Professional having moved 'up North' from another Home Instead Franchise. I am new to my role as Field Support Supervisor within the office support team. This role includes supporting Care Professionals to provide outstanding care, carrying out 1-1 supervision, and visiting clients to either provide care or to check that their care continues to meet their needs and they are happy with the quality of the service we provide.

I have been with Home Instead for 11 years.
As a recruitment officer, my role is to ensure that our team grows with fantastic Care Professionals,...
I have been with Home Instead for 11 years.
As a recruitment officer, my role is to ensure that our team grows with fantastic Care Professionals, enabling us to be responsive to our clients. We carefully match our carers and clients so that we can provide relationship-led care and support. It is vital that I source the right people to join our team!
I also love being involved in hosting our companionship cafes and making sure people feel welcome.

I joined Home Instead as a Care Professional in 2016 and loved visiting my clients and supporting them. Then I had the opportunity to join the office...
I joined Home Instead as a Care Professional in 2016 and loved visiting my clients and supporting them. Then I had the opportunity to join the office team as the scheduler ensuring that our clients are matched with the right care pros so relationships can be built and that care pros have schedules that meet their availability, whilst ensuring consistency for our clients, and that every visit is always for at least 1 hour.
Frequently Asked Questions about Home Instead (Durham)
How many Carers does Home Instead (Durham) employ?
Home Instead (Durham) employs 50 carers.
Information on this page is displayed without responsibility for its accuracy on the part of homecare.co.uk. Please contact Home Instead (Durham) to verify any information. View our terms and conditions. Home Instead (Durham) has an Enhanced Service -what an Enhanced Service includes.
