Tell us your postcode and what you need help with. We pass your details to one vetted CQC-registered agency in your area — and we tell you who they are, and that they pay us a fee, before anything is sent.
How this works
- You tell us the area and the need. A postcode, who the care is for, and roughly what would help — personal care, company, nights, live-in, or simply “we don’t know yet”.
- We name the agency. We come back to you with one CQC-registered provider covering that postcode, a link to its current inspection report, and confirmation that it pays us a referral fee.
- You decide. Nothing is passed on until you say yes. If you would rather approach the agency yourself, we will give you its details and send nothing.
Enquiries
The enquiry form opens shortly
We are finishing the introduction service, and we would rather open it properly than take your details before the consent step behind it is working. In the meantime, the free routes below are the ones we would point you to anyway.
- Start with the council. A care needs assessment from West Sussex County Council is free, is a legal right under the Care Act 2014, and does not commit you to council-arranged care.
- Check the money before you buy anything. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and for care at home the property is not counted — our funding guide has the thresholds.
- Approach agencies directly. Take the questions in how to choose an agency with you, and check each provider on the CQC register first.
What we are, and what we are not
The Care Panel is an independent publication. We are not a care provider and we are not regulated by the Care Quality Commission, because we do not deliver care. We do not run a directory of every agency, we are not a price-comparison site, and we do not rank providers by what they pay.
We match one enquiry to one provider. That is deliberate. Services that blast a single enquiry to six agencies produce a week of cold calls at the worst possible moment for a family, and they are the main reason people stop answering the phone.
The fee, stated plainly
If you go on to use an agency we introduced you to, that agency pays us a fee. You pay us nothing, and the fee does not change the rate you are quoted. We tell you the arrangement exists before your details go anywhere, because a recommendation you are not told is paid for is not a recommendation.
Independent, free alternatives exist and are often the right first call. West Sussex County Council provides a free care needs assessment to anyone who appears to need support — a legal right under the Care Act 2014, regardless of savings. The council’s Connect to Support West Sussex directory, Age UK West Sussex and Carers Support West Sussex all give free advice. We would rather you used those than paid for hours you do not need.
Before you enquire
Three things worth doing first, because they change what you should ask for:
- Request the council assessment. It is free, it does not commit you to council-arranged care, and it establishes what your relative is entitled to. See our guide to the assessment.
- Check the money. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested, and for care at home the value of the property is not counted. Our funding guide covers the thresholds.
- Know the going rate. Hourly care in West Sussex runs £28–£38, live-in £1,400–£1,700 a week. Our 2026 cost guide sets out the benchmarks so a quote can be judged.
When you do speak to an agency, take the questions in how to choose a home care agency with you, and read the provider’s report rather than just its rating — CQC ratings explained covers what each section actually means.
Your details
We use what you give us to make one introduction and nothing else. We do not sell data, we do not add you to a marketing list, and we do not pass anything to a second agency without asking you again. You can ask us to delete your details at any time. Full detail is in our privacy policy.
Areas we cover
Worthing, Adur and the surrounding West Sussex coast and villages — including Worthing, Shoreham, Lancing and Southwick, and Goring, Ferring, Steyning, Storrington, Littlehampton and Rustington.