Home care · County Durham
Live-in care in Durham
A live-in carer is trained, stays in the person's own home and supports them at any hour. For many families it is the main alternative to a care home. Compare the 33 CQC-registered agencies covering Durham and ask which of them provide it.
Agencies from the CQC register, updated 26 October 2026. Prices: Typical 2026 prices across England
Quick summary
- 33 CQC-registered home care agencies have an office within 7 miles of Durham; 27 are rated Good or Outstanding.
- Which agencies provide live-in care is not on the CQC register, so ask each one.
- Expect live-in care to cost about around £1,540–£1,610 a week; a residential care home is £1,185 a week (typical 2026 prices across England).
- County Durham council must offer a free care needs assessment.
Cite this: The Care Panel, "Live-in care in Durham", analysis of the CQC register, Oct 2026.
How live-in care works day to day
Most live-in carers work a rota with a colleague, staying for a week or two at a stretch before swapping over. Their job covers personal care such as washing and dressing, cooking, medicines, housework, trips out and companionship, all while the person keeps their routine, their pets and their neighbours.
Plan for the carer to have a bedroom of their own, a break of around two hours each day and an unbroken night. Where help is needed on most nights, budgeting for another carer, or a night carer who stays awake, is usually necessary, and the agency should raise this when it assesses.
Funding live-in care
- Assessment: free from County Durham council.
- Council contribution: possible if live-in care is agreed as the way to meet eligible needs, after a financial assessment that ignores the value of the home.
- Direct payment: take the council's share as cash and use your chosen agency.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare: pays in full for people with a primary health need.
Getting assessed by County Durham council.
Managed service or introductory agency?
- Managed live-in service: the carer is employed or supervised by the agency, which is registered with CQC and responsible for the care.
- Introductory agency: introduces a self-employed carer; you arrange and oversee the care; usually not CQC-registered.
Whichever you choose, get answers on holiday and sickness cover and on replacing a carer who is not the right fit.
Comparing live-in care with a care home
Locally, live-in care typically costs around £1,540–£1,610 a week, against £1,185 a week for a residential care home. For one person the care home is often cheaper; for a couple, live-in care can cost less than two care home places, because one carer can support both.
It works best for someone determined to stay at home whose needs a single carer can safely meet. If two people are needed to move them at all hours, or loneliness is the bigger problem, a care home may suit better.
Durham's agencies in figures
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 190 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 73% across County Durham.
How much live-in care costs in Durham
| Visiting care | around £32–£34 an hour |
|---|---|
| Live-in care | around £1,540–£1,610 a week |
| Residential care home | £1,185 a week |
| Nursing home | £1,305 a week |
What the council pays (Durham County Council): £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).
Hourly rates vary between agencies more than between regions; ask each agency for its full price list, including weekend and bank holiday rates. 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 that cover Durham
Ranked on CQC rating, its date and then distance. Ask each one about live-in care.
Home Instead Durham
Est. £34–£42/hr
Social Return Case Management Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
MMAB Healthcare- MMAB Consulting Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
TLC Community Services Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Medsolve (UK) Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
New Vision Care Services
Est. £30–£37/hr
Helping Hands Durham
Est. £29–£35/hr
Yeshua Healthcare
Est. £30–£37/hr
Potens Dipton Supported Living and Outreach
Est. £30–£37/hr
Dale Care Durham
Est. £30–£37/hr
St Anne's Community Services - Durham DCA
Est. £30–£37/hr
Excellence Home Care
Est. £30–£37/hr
Care and Protect UK
Est. £30–£37/hr
Orchard Home Care Services Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Office NE
Est. £30–£37/hr
Elegance Care and Support
Est. £30–£37/hr
Extra Care
Est. £30–£37/hr
North East Autism Society
Est. £30–£37/hr
Second to None Care Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
The Integration Trust Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
What families ask about live-in care in Durham
Who provides live-in care in Durham?
Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides live-in care. Of the 33 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Durham, 27 are rated Good or Outstanding.
What does live-in care cost in Durham?
Typical 2026 prices across England: live-in care typically costs around £1,540–£1,610 a week. Couples, complex needs and short placements usually cost more.
Which is cheaper, live-in care or a care home?
A residential care home averages £1,185 a week locally, which often beats live-in care for one person; for two people, live-in care can work out cheaper than two places.
Will the council help pay for live-in care?
It can, if the care needs assessment finds eligible needs and live-in care is a suitable way to meet them. County Durham council then does a financial assessment; for care at home the value of the home is ignored, and people with savings under £23,250 may get help.
How good are home care agencies around Durham?
96% Good or Outstanding (27 of 28 rated). 5 were inspected or rated within two years, and 21 are registered for dementia.
Need live-in care in Durham?
One short form: a maximum of three agencies working with us will contact you directly by email.
More about care in Durham
Nearby towns for live-in care
CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.