Home care in West Sussex means a trained carer from a CQC-registered agency visiting someone in their own home to help with washing, dressing, meals, medication and company, from a single half-hour call a day up to a carer who lives in. Most families pay privately at first, at roughly £28–£38 an hour, but West Sussex County Council can assess needs and may help with the cost, and some people qualify for NHS funding.
For home care, West Sussex County Council is the first public body to contact, and it can assess needs whether or not you expect to pay yourself. West Sussex is one of the oldest counties in England by age profile, so demand for care at home is high and experienced carers are in short supply in some areas. This guide explains who to contact, what care costs, how funding works and what coverage is like in each district, with links to our town pages.
In short: contact West Sussex County Council for a free needs assessment, claim Attendance Allowance if eligible, and compare at least two CQC-registered agencies that already cover your street.
How does home care work in West Sussex?
Home care (also called domiciliary care) is delivered by agencies registered with the Care Quality Commission. The agency employs, trains and supervises the carers, writes a care plan with you and is responsible for the quality of what happens in the home.
Care is booked in visits. A typical pattern for an older person living alone might be a morning call to help with getting up, washing and breakfast, a lunchtime call for a meal and medication, and an evening call to help get ready for bed. As needs change, visits can be lengthened, overnight care added or live-in care arranged. If you are new to this, our guide to what domiciliary care includes covers the basics.
There are two routes into care:
- Through the council. West Sussex County Council assesses needs under the Care Act 2014, then a financial assessment decides how much, if anything, the person pays.
- Privately. You contact agencies directly, agree a care plan and pay the agency. Many families start here because it is quicker, and ask the council for an assessment at the same time.
Who provides adult social care in West Sussex?
Adult social care is run by West Sussex County Council, not by the district or borough councils. Whether you live in Worthing, Littlehampton, Steyning or Crawley, the first contact is the same: Adults’ CarePoint on 01243 642121 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday), or the online referral form on the WSCC adult social care page. The council says it aims to complete an assessment within 28 working days of contact.
Before you call, it is worth looking at West Sussex Connect to Support, the council’s information site. It covers equipment, staying independent, caring for someone, money advice and care options, and it includes a Care Needs Checklist that helps you judge whether a formal assessment is the right next step. Our guide to the care needs assessment in West Sussex explains what the assessor will ask.
District councils (Adur & Worthing, Arun, Horsham, Mid Sussex, Chichester and Crawley) still matter for housing, council tax discounts and Disabled Facilities Grants for adaptations. Local government in West Sussex is being reorganised into new unitary councils, with the government’s decision on the final shape still being settled in 2026. For now, West Sussex County Council remains responsible for adult social care; check its website if you are reading this later.
Home care West Sussex prices in 2026
Expect to pay about £28–£38 an hour for visiting care from a regulated agency in West Sussex in 2026, with weekend and bank holiday rates often higher. The Homecare Association’s minimum price for care in England for 2026/27 is £34.42 an hour, which gives a sense of what an agency needs to charge to pay carers properly and stay compliant.
| Type of care | Indicative West Sussex price (2026) |
|---|---|
| Visiting care (per hour) | £28–£38 |
| Sleeping night (carer sleeps in, available if needed) | £210–£260 a night |
| Waking night (carer awake all night) | Higher than a sleeping night |
| Live-in care | £1,400–£1,700+ a week |
These are indicative ranges. Rural areas often cost more because of travel time between visits, and short calls of 30 minutes may carry a higher hourly rate. Our full breakdown of home care costs in 2026 shows how weekly bills add up, and live-in care in West Sussex covers the round-the-clock option.
What help is there with paying for care?
Most people get help from a mix of benefits, council funding and, occasionally, the NHS. Use our free funding checker to see which are likely to apply.
- Attendance Allowance. For people over State Pension age who need help with personal care. It is not means-tested: £76.70 a week at the lower rate and £114.60 a week at the higher rate in 2026/27. See our Attendance Allowance guide or GOV.UK.
- Council funding. For care at home, the value of the person’s home is ignored. Someone with savings above £23,250 pays the full cost; between £14,250 and £23,250 the council counts £1 a week of income for every £250. West Sussex uses a welfare benefits adviser to carry out the financial assessment. The council’s rules are on its paying for care at home page.
- Direct payments. If the council funds care, you can take the money as a direct payment and choose the agency yourself.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare. Fully funded, not means-tested care for people whose needs are primarily health needs. In West Sussex decisions are made by NHS Surrey and Sussex. See NHS Continuing Healthcare at home.
People who pay the full cost can still ask the council to arrange care for them. West Sussex currently charges self-funders an arrangement fee of £228, plus £7.30 a week in administration if the council manages the arrangement. Many families choose to arrange care directly instead.
The cap on lifetime care costs that was planned under the Care Act 2014 has not been introduced, so there is currently no limit on what a self-funder may pay over time.
What is home care coverage like across West Sussex?
West Sussex had about 882,700 residents in the 2021 Census. Coverage varies more by geography than by district: towns on bus routes are easier to staff than villages at the end of lanes. A brief guide:
| District | Main towns | Coverage notes |
|---|---|---|
| Worthing | Worthing, Goring, Durrington, Broadwater | Dense, well-served town with Worthing Hospital. Good agency choice; popular slots still fill fast. See home care in Worthing. |
| Adur | Shoreham-by-Sea, Lancing, Southwick, Sompting | Compact and coastal, with Southlands Hospital in Shoreham. See home care in Adur. |
| Arun | Littlehampton, Rustington, Bognor Regis, Arundel | One of the highest shares of residents aged 85+ in England, so demand is heavy. See Littlehampton and Rustington. |
| Horsham | Horsham, Billingshurst, Storrington, Henfield, Steyning | Large and largely rural. Village calls take longer to staff. See home care in Steyning. |
| Mid Sussex | Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, East Grinstead | Three main towns with rural villages between; Princess Royal Hospital is in Haywards Heath. |
| Chichester | Chichester, Selsey, Midhurst, Petworth | Mix of city, coast and very rural north; St Richard’s Hospital is in Chichester. Remote villages can wait longer for care. |
| Crawley | Crawley and its neighbourhoods | Younger population and compact town. Crawley Hospital is run by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, whose main acute hospital is East Surrey in Redhill. |
For smaller communities across the county, our guide to home care in West Sussex villages covers what to expect when you live off the main routes.
Why is it harder to find care in rural areas?
Carers are paid for their time and travel between visits, and agencies build rounds of calls that sit close together. A single call in an isolated village can break a round, so agencies may only take it on if they already have clients nearby. Offering flexible visit times, longer calls, or accepting a slightly later morning call makes it much easier for an agency to say yes.
How do you get started?
- Write down what help is needed and when. Mornings, meals, medication, nights, company. Our checklist of signs a parent needs care can help.
- Contact West Sussex County Council for a needs assessment, even if you expect to pay privately. It can unlock equipment, reablement and a carer’s assessment.
- Claim Attendance Allowance if the person is over State Pension age and needs help.
- Shortlist CQC-registered agencies that cover the exact postcode. Read their latest inspection reports and ask about continuity of carers. Our guide on choosing a home care agency lists the questions to ask.
- Look after the family carer too. Carers Support West Sussex (0300 028 8888) offers carer assessments, advice and local groups in every district.
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
Does West Sussex County Council pay for home care?
It can. If the needs assessment finds eligible needs and the financial assessment shows savings below £23,250 (not counting the home), the council will pay some or all of the cost. People with more than that pay the full cost but can still get advice and an assessment.
How quickly can home care start in West Sussex?
Privately arranged care can often start within days in the larger towns, depending on the times you need. Council-arranged care depends on assessment timescales, which the council aims to complete within 28 working days. Care after a hospital stay is usually organised by the hospital discharge team.
Is home care cheaper than a care home in West Sussex?
For a few hours of help a day, home care is usually much cheaper than a care home. Once someone needs care around the clock, live-in care and residential care can cost similar amounts, and the right choice depends on needs, the home and what the person wants. Our comparison of home care and care homes covers this in detail.
Do I need to use an agency the council chooses?
No. If the council is funding care you can ask for a direct payment and choose your own CQC-registered agency, as long as it meets your assessed needs within the budget. Self-funders can use any agency they like.
What is Connect to Support West Sussex?
It is West Sussex County Council’s information and advice website for adults. It covers staying independent, equipment, money advice, caring for someone and care options, and it is a sensible place to start before asking for a formal assessment.
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. Sources: West Sussex County Council adult social care and charging guidance, West Sussex Connect to Support, West Sussex JSNA Census 2021 population briefing, University Hospitals Sussex, Carers Support West Sussex, GOV.UK Attendance Allowance guidance. General information, not financial, legal or medical advice — figures are indicative and subject to change.