Home care · County Durham

Home help in Durham

Home help means practical support around the house, such as cleaning, washing, shopping, preparing meals and running errands, often with some companionship too. Below are the 33 CQC-registered agencies that cover Durham; ask each whether it offers this.

CQC register data as of 27 October 2026 · Prices: Typical prices across England in 2026

From The Care Panel's editors; checked before it went live. How we write guides · How we are funded

Key points

  • 33 CQC-registered home care agencies have an office within 7 miles of Durham; 27 are rated Good or Outstanding.
  • Home help is usually charged by the hour; visiting care here typically costs around £32–£34 an hour, and housework-only help can cost a little less.
  • Which agencies provide home help is not on the CQC register, so ask each one.
  • A care needs assessment from County Durham council costs nothing.

To cite: "Home help in Durham", The Care Panel, Oct 2026, from CQC register analysis.

What home help includes

Typical tasks are cleaning and tidying, laundry and ironing, changing beds, food shopping and collecting prescriptions, preparing meals, help with post and bills, and getting out to appointments or the shops. Many people also value the company. Home help does not include personal care such as washing, dressing or help with medication: for that you need a home care agency registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Paying for home help

Home help is usually charged by the hour, at or just below the rate for visiting care. County Durham council may include practical help in a care plan if a care needs assessment finds eligible needs, though help with housework alone often does not qualify. Attendance Allowance, which is not means-tested, is often used to pay for it. See home help for the elderly and home help vs home care.

Agency, cleaner or council?

Many home care agencies in Durham provide home help as well as personal care, which is useful if needs grow. A cleaner or a local "home help" service can be cheaper for housework alone, but is not regulated by CQC. Some councils and charities run low-cost help-at-home or shopping services. How to ask County Durham council for an assessment.

Home care in Durham by the numbers

Of Durham and the 6 nearest towns we cover, Durham ranks 2nd for the share of all listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding (82%); Sacriston is highest at 87%. Outstanding ratings: 2 covering Durham, 3 across County Durham. Ratings are about as recent as the council average here: 15% of agencies have one less than two years old, compared with 15% across County Durham. At 96% Good or Outstanding, Durham sits in line with the County Durham figure of 97% (from 189 agencies). Looking at specialisms, 26 of 33 list physical disabilities, 22 of 33 list learning disabilities and 22 of 33 list mental health conditions. Most recent to register: Apollo Home Healthcare Northeast (August 2026). Oldest rating on the list: Crescent Homecare Limited, September 2018. The share registered for dementia is 64% in Durham (21 of 33) and 72% across County Durham.

Home help prices in Durham

Typical prices across England in 2026
Visiting carearound £32–£34 an hour
Live-in carearound £1,540–£1,610 a week

Durham County Council's own rates: £22.83 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £857 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £890 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).

Agencies differ more than regions do on hourly rates, so request a complete tariff from each one, covering weekends and bank holidays too. According to the Homecare Association, councils across England should pay no less than £34.42 an hour for home care in 2026/27 if it is to be sustainable. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?

Home care agencies in and around Durham

Ask each agency whether it provides home help. Ranked by CQC rating and how recent it is, then distance.

  1. Home Instead Durham

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    OutstandingRated Nov 2023
    View profile (Home Instead Durham)

  2. Social Return Case Management Ltd

    1.4 miles · Older people, Adults under 65, Caring for children (0 - 18yrs)

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2025Inspected recently
    View profile (Social Return Case Management Ltd)

  3. MMAB Healthcare- MMAB Consulting Ltd

    2.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2025Inspected recently
    View profile (MMAB Healthcare- MMAB Consulting Ltd)

  4. TLC Community Services Limited

    4.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2026Inspected recently
    View profile (TLC Community Services Limited)

  5. Medsolve (UK) Limited

    4.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2026Inspected recently
    View profile (Medsolve (UK) Limited)

  6. New Vision Care Services

    5.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2026Inspected recently
    View profile (New Vision Care Services)

  7. Helping Hands Durham

    0.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £29–£35/hr

    GoodRated Sep 2023
    View profile (Helping Hands Durham)

  8. Yeshua Healthcare

    1.7 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2023
    View profile (Yeshua Healthcare)

  9. Potens Dipton Supported Living and Outreach

    2.2 miles · Mental health conditions, Learning disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2022
    View profile (Potens Dipton Supported Living and Outreach)

  10. Dale Care Durham

    2.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2023
    View profile (Dale Care Durham)

  11. St Anne's Community Services - Durham DCA

    2.9 miles · Learning disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2023
    View profile (St Anne's Community Services - Durham DCA)

  12. Excellence Home Care

    2.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Sep 2022
    View profile (Excellence Home Care)

  13. Care and Protect UK

    3.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2024
    View profile (Care and Protect UK)

  14. Orchard Home Care Services Limited

    4.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2023
    View profile (Orchard Home Care Services Limited)

  15. Office NE

    4.9 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2023
    View profile (Office NE)

  16. Elegance Care and Support

    5.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Jul 2022
    View profile (Elegance Care and Support)

  17. Extra Care

    5.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2024
    View profile (Extra Care)

  18. North East Autism Society

    6.2 miles · Learning disabilities, Adults under 65, Caring for children (0 - 18yrs)

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Aug 2023
    View profile (North East Autism Society)

  19. Second to None Care Ltd

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2020
    View profile (Second to None Care Ltd)

  20. The Integration Trust Limited

    2.9 miles · Physical disabilities, Learning disabilities

    Est. £30–£37/hr

    GoodRated May 2020
    View profile (The Integration Trust Limited)

The full list: 33 agencies covering Durham →

Your questions on home help in Durham

Which home care agencies offer home help in Durham?

Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides home help. Of the 33 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Durham, 27 are rated Good or Outstanding.

How much does home help cost in Durham?

Home help is usually charged by the hour, at or a little below the local rate for visiting care. Ask each agency for its hourly rate, minimum visit length and any weekend charges in writing.

Can I get home help from the council?

Sometimes, if County Durham council's care needs assessment finds eligible needs and practical help is part of meeting them. Help with housework alone often does not qualify, so many people use Attendance Allowance, which is not means-tested, to pay privately.

Is home help the same as home care?

No. Home help is practical help with housework, shopping and errands. Home care, or personal care, includes help with washing, dressing, eating and medication, and must be provided by an agency registered with the Care Quality Commission.

How are agencies covering Durham rated?

Of 28 agencies with a CQC rating, 27 (96%) are Good or Outstanding. Dementia is a specialism for 21, and 5 have a rating or inspection from the past two years.

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