Home care · Central Bedfordshire
Home care in Sandy
CQC lists 24 home care agencies covering Sandy, operated by 23 separate providers. Central Bedfordshire Council runs the most, with 2. Of the 13 CQC has rated, 100% are Good or Outstanding (versus 88% across Central Bedfordshire and 88% across England). 2 hold an Outstanding rating. Our estimate of typical fees here: about £33.50 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 5 home care agencies were last rated more than four years ago and 5 registered since October 2024. Most recently, Creative Support - Bedford Services was rated Outstanding on 24 September 2025.
Updated 27 October 2026 from the CQC register (Open Government Licence)
Key points
- Whatever your savings, Central Bedfordshire council will assess care needs for free.
- Good or Outstanding: 13 of the 13 rated agencies; 11 are still waiting for a first rating.
- 15 are registered with CQC to support people with dementia.
- We check for new CQC ratings in Central Bedfordshire daily: see the latest changes.
To cite: "Home care in Sandy", The Care Panel, Oct 2026, from CQC register analysis.
- 24CQC-registered agencies
- 100%Good or Outstanding, among those rated
- 15offer dementia support
- 2inspected or rated in the last 2 years
| Care | Sandy | East of England | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visiting care, an hour | £33.50 | £33.50 | £33.50 |
| Live-in care, a week | £1,610 | £1,610 | £1,610 |
Sandy home care agencies, ranked
Order: CQC rating first, then how recent that rating is, then distance. Our ranking method
OutstandingGoodRequires improvementInadequateNot yet ratedMap © OpenFreeMap © OpenStreetMap
- All 24
- Elderly care · 19
- Physical disability care · 19
- Care for adults under 65 · 19
- Dementia care · 15
- Learning disability care · 15
- Mental health care · 13
- Sensory impairment care · 13
- Supported living · 10
- Children's care · 6
Creative Support - Bedford Services
What inspectors found: The provider had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and ensured staff were equipped with the appropriate skills…
Est. £32–£39/hr
Knightingles Healthcare Bedfordshire Limited
What inspectors found: Not everyone who used the service received personal care.
Est. £32–£39/hr
Quality Support Solutions Limited
What inspectors found: Not everyone who used the service received personal care.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Elite Care Services Limited
What inspectors found: We found safe systems and processes in place to ensure staff understood how to protect people from poor care and potential harm.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Edmar Recruitment Services Ltd
What inspectors found: Right Support: Relatives shared positive comments about the care and support provided.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Mears Care - St Neots
What inspectors found: People told us that staff went the extra mile to ensure they had everything they needed.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Macadamia Support
What inspectors found: The service was able to demonstrate how they were meeting the underpinning principles of Right support, right care, right culture: Right support Staff supported…
Est. £30–£37/hr
Care Support Bedford Branch
What inspectors found: Comments from people were consistent stating they felt safe and were happy with the care, treatment and support the service provided.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Hills Independent Homecare Service
What inspectors found: Not everyone who used the service received personal care.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Walkers Close
What inspectors found: People supported may be autistic or living with a learning disability.
Est. £30–£37/hr
High Street Sandy
What inspectors found: People were very happy with the care and the staff who provided their care and felt safe.
Est. £30–£37/hr
Mobelle Home Care Limited
What inspectors found: People's care plans and support documents were not consistently person centred and did not always provide detailed information on how to meet people's care…
Est. £30–£37/hr
Yourlife (Bedford)
What inspectors found: People felt safe with the care and support provided by the service.
Est. £30–£37/hr
2 Crab Lane
Est. £29–£36/hr
Multi-Care Community Services Ltd - Bedfordshire
Est. £29–£36/hr
Holistic Healthcare Bedford
Est. £29–£36/hr
Cherish Social Care Ltd Cambridge
Est. £29–£36/hr
Autism Bedfordshire
Est. £29–£36/hr
Baobab Social Care Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
Bedford Scheme
Est. £29–£36/hr
Gella Care Services Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
Jacket Healthcare
Est. £29–£36/hr
Clarity Care Providers Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
Multi-Care Community Services North Hertfordshire Ltd
Est. £29–£36/hr
We measure distance from Sandy centre to the agency's office; care happens at your home, so confirm the agency covers your road.
How much home care costs in Sandy
| Visiting care | around £32–£34 an hour |
|---|---|
| Live-in care | around £1,540–£1,610 a week |
What the council pays (Central Bedfordshire Council): £27.89 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £1,007.90 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,061.41 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source). Where a provider charges more, the extra is usually met by a top-up.
Agencies differ more than regions do on hourly rates, so request a complete tariff from each one, covering weekends and bank holidays too. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care in England at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. For a firm figure, request prices from providers here; for a rough one, use our weekly cost calculator.
Your council
Central Bedfordshire
A care needs assessment from Central Bedfordshire council is free whatever your savings. With savings below £23,250, the council may help pay.
Asking Central Bedfordshire for an assessment, and how payment and direct payments work
24-hour, overnight and live-in care in Sandy
Round-the-clock care at home is arranged in one of two ways: live-in care, where one carer lives in and has a daily break and a proper night's sleep, or daytime visits plus waking nights, where a second carer stays awake all night. Typical prices: Live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. CQC does not record which agencies provide it, so ask each one.
Dementia care at home in Sandy
15 of the 24 agencies covering Sandy are registered with CQC to support people living with dementia, and 7 of those are rated Good or Outstanding. Compare the 15 registered for dementia.
How Sandy measures up
Central Bedfordshire has 5 Outstanding agencies in total; covering Sandy the figure is 2. Of Sandy and the 6 nearest towns we cover, Sandy has the highest share of all listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding (54%); next is St Neots at 46%. 100% of rated agencies covering Sandy are Good or Outstanding, compared with 83% of those rated among the 375 we list across Central Bedfordshire. Two-year-old ratings or newer: 8% covering Sandy, 19% across Central Bedfordshire. CQC registered Jacket Healthcare in September 2026, the newest on this list. Registered specialisms here: 19 of 24 list physical disabilities, 15 of 24 list learning disabilities and 13 of 24 list mental health conditions. In Sandy, 63% of agencies support people with dementia (15 of 24); the Central Bedfordshire figure is 79%. One rating goes back to July 2019: High Street Sandy. Ask what has changed since.
Which groups run agencies covering Sandy
- Central Bedfordshire Council 2 here
- Creative Support Limited 1 here
- Knightingles Healthcare Limited 1 here
- Mears Extra Care Limited 1 here
- Care-Away Limited 1 here
- Yourlife Management Services Limited 1 here
- Multi-Care Community Services Ltd 1 here
- Cherish Social Care Ltd 1 here
- Baobab Social Care Ltd 1 here
Most recent ratings
CQC's most recently published ratings for agencies covering Sandy.
Sandy compared with nearby towns
| Nearby town | Distance | Total | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandy | – | 24 | 13 |
| Potton | 3.3 mi | 11 | 5 |
| Biggleswade | 3.5 mi | 11 | 5 |
| St Neots | 6.4 mi | 13 | 6 |
| Shefford | 7.0 mi | 54 | 25 |
| Bedford | 7.1 mi | 80 | 36 |
Counts include any agency whose office lies within 7 miles of a town, and many cover several.
Free · by email
Free care cost report for Sandy
- Typical local prices for home care, overnight and live-in care
- What the council and the NHS may pay, with the 2026/27 savings limits
- The best-rated services near you, from the CQC register
What families want to know about home care in Sandy
Which home care agencies cover Sandy?
There are 24 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Sandy (register checked Oct 2026). Well-rated choices include Creative Support - Bedford Services, Knightingles Healthcare Bedfordshire Limited and Quality Support Solutions Limited.
What CQC ratings do home care agencies in Sandy have?
Of the 13 that have been rated, 13 (100%) are rated Good or Outstanding, 2 of them Outstanding. 11 have not been rated yet, which is common for newly registered services.
What are typical home care prices in Sandy?
Typical prices across England in 2026: visiting care around £32–£34 an hour; live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. Agencies differ more than regions do on hourly rates, so request a complete tariff from each one, covering weekends and bank holidays too. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care in England at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. See our full cost guide.
Will Central Bedfordshire council pay for home care?
Two sources of help: Attendance Allowance, which ignores savings and is for people over State Pension age, and the council. By law (Care Act 2014) Central Bedfordshire council must assess care needs at no charge for people who look as if they need support; if savings and investments are under £23,250, it may pay a share once your finances are assessed, depending on income. With care at home, the house itself is not included. How to reach Central Bedfordshire council.
What should I look for when choosing agencies in Sandy?
Three questions matter most once you have read the latest CQC report: will the staff be consistent, what is the plan for missed visits, and what is the total cost before signing? On dates, 2 of the 24 listed had an inspection or rating within the last two years, and 11 have an older report. See the checklist.
How does Sandy compare with nearby towns for home care agencies?
Nearest towns we cover: Potton (3.3 miles): 11, 5 rated Good or Outstanding; Biggleswade (3.5 miles): 11, 5 rated Good or Outstanding; St Neots (6.4 miles): 13, 6 rated Good or Outstanding. Sandy itself has 24, 13 of them Good or Outstanding.
Busy? Let us pass your request to providers.
Describe what's needed in one form. We send it to as many as three Sandy providers who accept enquiries via The Care Panel, and they email you back.
Home care near Sandy
- Home care in Potton 3.3 mi
- Home care in Biggleswade 3.5 mi
- Home care in St Neots 6.4 mi
- Home care in Shefford 7.0 mi
- Home care in Bedford 7.1 mi
- Home care in Kempston 8.8 mi
- Home care in Lower Stondon 9.0 mi
- Home care in Papworth Everard 10.9 mi
Other help in Sandy
- Home care after hospital in Sandy
- Live-in care in Sandy
- Overnight care in Sandy
- 24-hour care in Sandy
- Respite care in Sandy
- Home help in Sandy
- How to pay for care in Central Bedfordshire
- Best rated home care agencies in Central Bedfordshire
- What home care costs across England in 2026, by region and council
- Every Outstanding service in Central Bedfordshire: 2026 list
- Care homes in Sandy (3)
- Who pays for care at home, and how
- How to choose a home care agency
- The council care needs assessment
- How to read a CQC rating
Shortlisted a few? Find out start dates and prices.
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Data: CQC register, Oct 2026, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We are an independent directory and do not provide care.