For families
Most of what you want is honest answers, not a brochure.
If you're reading this, you're probably trying to make a decision for someone you love and the timing isn't great. Here's what we wish more home-care websites would just say up front.
Questions families actually ask
The conversation we'd rather have over the phone — written down.
- How much does home care cost?
- Across Derby and the East Midlands, visiting care typically runs £24–£30 per hour and live-in support £1,150–£1,500 a week, depending on complexity and continence/mobility needs. We'll give you a written, no-obligation quote after a home visit — never over the phone before we've looked.
- Who pays — us, or the council?
- It depends on the financial assessment, the level of need and whether the person being cared for owns their home. Derby City Council's Adult Social Care team will assess; we're happy to point you to the right contact and accept direct payments where they apply.
- Will it always be the same carer?
- Wherever rotas allow, yes — continuity matters for both trust and safety. We won't promise a single named carer (people get ill, take holidays, change shifts), but you'll meet a small named team rather than a rotating cast.
- How quickly can you start?
- Within a week or two for most arrangements; sooner for hospital-discharge support from the Royal Derby. We only take on care we can cover properly, so if our diary's full we'll tell you and suggest someone else.
- What if it isn't working?
- Tell us. Reviews are scheduled every six months but we welcome a phone call at any time, and we have no minimum-term contract. If a particular carer isn't the right match, we'll change them. If the whole arrangement isn't right, we'll help you transition — even to another provider.
- Do you support end-of-life care at home?
- Yes — where the family wants this, working alongside the district-nursing team and the GP. Our staff are trained for it, and we'll only take it on if we can give the visits the time they deserve.
If you're early in the conversation
You don't need a diagnosis or a plan to call us.
A lot of the families who become long-term clients started with: my dad fell, and we don't know what to do next. Or: mum's out of the Royal Derby tomorrow and the discharge nurse mentioned home care. Or just: I don't want my parents to move. Any of those is enough to ring on.
Or send a message and we'll call you backNeed care for someone you love?
Let's start with a conversation, not a sales pitch.
We'll come to you for a free, no-pressure home visit — usually within a week of your call. We'll tell you honestly what we can offer, what we can't, and roughly what it costs.