“Home help” is the older, broader term for practical everyday support that lets someone keep running their own life. It sits below personal care and often alongside companionship — and for many people it’s the only help they’ll ever need.
What home help covers
- Around the house — cleaning, laundry, changing beds, tidying
- Food — shopping, cooking, batch-cooking, keeping the fridge safe
- Errands — prescriptions, post, bank, library, dry cleaning
- Paperwork — opening and sorting post, helping with forms, chasing a utility company, setting up a direct debit
- Technology — getting the television box working again, setting up video calls, online shopping
- Small practical jobs — bulbs, batteries, bins, reaching high cupboards, watering plants
- Getting out — a lift to an appointment, the shops, a group
- Pets — feeding, walking, vet trips
It does not cover personal care, medication administration, or anything clinical.
Home help, domestic care and companionship
These overlap heavily and providers use the labels inconsistently. In practice:
| Term | Centre of gravity |
|---|---|
| Home help | Practical everyday support, broadly defined |
| Domestic care | Housework, laundry, meals specifically |
| Companionship | Time and company rather than tasks |
| Personal care | Hands-on help with the body — CQC registered |
Don’t get stuck on the label. Describe what’s actually difficult — “she can’t manage the shopping and the post is piling up” — and let the provider tell you what they call it.
Who it suits
- Someone recently widowed who never handled the bills, the car or the cooking
- Someone who has given up driving and lost access to shops and appointments
- Someone recovering from illness or surgery who’ll manage again in a few weeks
- Someone with arthritis or reduced strength who can do most things but not the heavy ones
- Someone whose family lives far away and can’t do the practical Saturday jobs
- Anyone whose house is slipping while their health is still reasonably good
Home help is frequently the first thing families successfully introduce, precisely because it doesn’t feel like care. Our guide on talking to a parent about accepting help covers why that framing matters.
Cost and funding
Typically £28–£38 an hour from a regulated provider in West Sussex in 2026, with most people booking two to four hours a week.
- Attendance Allowance — £76.70 or £114.60 a week, not means-tested, spendable on home help
- Council funding rarely covers practical help alone, since it funds assessed eligible needs. Still worth a needs assessment — the wider picture may qualify
- Age UK and local charity schemes run low-cost home help in parts of West Sussex
- Handyperson schemes through Adur & Worthing Councils for small jobs and safety work
See the funding guide.
Getting the most from it
- Start with what’s most annoying to them, not what worries you most. Buy-in matters more than logic in the first month.
- One longer visit rather than several short ones.
- Same person weekly. They learn the house, the routine and what “normal” looks like.
- Agree the money rules up front — receipts for everything, no cards, no PINs.
- Review after a month. Needs change, and so should the hours, in either direction.
Find care near you
Tell us your postcode and what you need help with. We pass your details to one vetted CQC-registered agency in your area — you are told who they are, and that they pay us a fee, before anything is sent.
Frequently asked questions
What is home help?
Practical everyday support that helps someone stay independent: cleaning, laundry, shopping, cooking, errands, paperwork, small household jobs, technology help, lifts and pet care. It doesn’t include personal care or anything clinical.
What’s the difference between home help and home care?
Home help is practical support around the house and daily life. Home care usually implies personal care — hands-on help with washing, dressing and medication — which requires CQC registration. Many providers offer both and can move between them as needs change.
How much does home help cost?
Typically £28–£38 an hour from a regulated provider in West Sussex in 2026. Most people book two to four hours a week. Age UK and some local charities run lower-cost schemes worth asking about.
Will the council pay for home help?
Rarely for practical help alone, because councils fund assessed eligible needs under the Care Act. It’s still worth having a free needs assessment — the wider picture often qualifies even when housework by itself doesn’t.
Can home help lead to more support later?
Yes, and that’s one of its advantages. Starting with a regulated provider means personal care, overnight or live-in support can be added later without introducing a new organisation to someone who’s just got used to one.
The Care Panel is an independent publication. We are not a care provider and are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission, because we do not deliver care. Always check a provider’s own CQC registration and inspection report before you commit.
Written and fact-checked by The Care Panel. Last updated September 2026.