Home care · London

Live-in care in Islington

Live-in care means a trained carer lives in the home and supports someone day and night, often as an alternative to moving into a care home. 48 agencies registered with CQC cover Islington. Check with each one that it provides this kind of care.

Agencies from the CQC register, updated 19 October 2026. Prices: Typical prices in London in 2026

Written by our editorial team, then checked. Our editorial standards · How the site is paid for

In short

  • Agencies that are based in the borough of Islington: 48, with 28 rated Good or Outstanding.
  • A care needs assessment from the London Borough of Islington costs nothing.
  • Expect live-in care to cost about £1,300–£1,800 a week; a residential care home is £1,456 a week (typical prices in London in 2026).
  • CQC does not record which agencies provide live-in care, so ask each agency directly.

To cite: "Live-in care in Islington", The Care Panel, Oct 2026, from CQC register analysis.

Live-in care in practice

The person stays put, keeping their own routine, pets and neighbours, and the carer comes to them. Carers generally rotate in pairs, each living in for one to two weeks. Typical tasks: help to wash and dress, meals, medication, cleaning, outings and company.

Three things the carer must have: a private bedroom, roughly two hours' rest during the day, and a full night's sleep. If night-time help is needed most nights, budget for a waking night carer or a second live-in carer; a good agency will say so at the assessment.

Paying for live-in care

The starting point is a care needs assessment, which the London Borough of Islington has to provide free. Where the council accepts that live-in care is a suitable way to meet eligible needs, it may contribute once your finances are assessed, and your home's value is left out because the care is at home. Its contribution can be paid as a direct payment, so you choose the agency. If the main need is a health need, NHS Continuing Healthcare may cover the full cost. Getting assessed by the London Borough of Islington.

Should it be live-in care or a care home?

Here, a residential care home typically costs £1,456 a week and live-in care £1,300–£1,800 a week. A single person will often pay less in a care home, but a couple may pay less for live-in care than for two care home places, since one carer can look after both.

Choose a care home when moving and handling needs two staff day and night, or when isolation at home is the main worry. Choose live-in care when staying at home matters most and one carer can keep the person safe.

Managed or introductory: check before you sign

A managed live-in service employs or supervises the carer, is registered with the Care Quality Commission and is responsible for the care. An introductory agency introduces a self-employed carer and you become responsible for arranging and overseeing the care; these agencies are usually not CQC-registered. Ask which kind it is, who covers holidays and sickness, and what happens if the carer is not a good fit.

What the register shows for Islington

36 of the 47 agencies (77%) list dementia as a specialism, against 81% across London. On their CQC registrations, 37 of 47 list physical disabilities, 29 of 47 list learning disabilities and 28 of 47 list mental health conditions. The newest registration is Tayah Home Care Ltd, registered with CQC in August 2026. 93% of rated agencies covering Islington are Good or Outstanding, compared with 89% of those rated among the 2,431 we list across London. Hackney has the highest share of listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding nearby (62%); Islington, at 60%, is 2nd of the 7 towns compared. The oldest current rating dates from February 2018 (Centre 404 Domiciliary Care).

How much live-in care costs in Islington

Typical prices in London in 2026
Visiting care£30–£40 an hour
Sleeping night£190–£230
Waking night£240–£320
Live-in care£1,300–£1,800 a week
Residential care home£1,456 a week
Nursing home£1,680 a week

For 2026/27, the Homecare Association says council-funded home care in England is only sustainable at £34.42 an hour or more. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?

Home care agencies that cover Islington

Ranked on CQC rating, its date and then distance. Ask each one about live-in care.

  1. Nation Home Care Limited

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2025Inspected recently
    More details (Nation Home Care Limited)

  2. Homecare Alliance Ltd

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Sep 2026Inspected recently
    More details (Homecare Alliance Ltd)

  3. MiHomecare Islington

    1.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2025Inspected recently
    More details (MiHomecare Islington)

  4. Som Care Ltd

    1.7 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2026Inspected recently
    More details (Som Care Ltd)

  5. May's Homecare Limited

    1.7 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2026Inspected recently
    More details (May's Homecare Limited)

  6. Homedotcare Limited

    0.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2023
    More details (Homedotcare Limited)

  7. St Martins of Tours Housing - 158-162 New North Road

    1.0 miles · Older people, Mental health conditions, Adults under 65

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2022
    More details (St Martins of Tours Housing - 158-162 New North Road)

  8. Eve Care Solutions

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Mental health conditions

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2022
    More details (Eve Care Solutions)

  9. Lanark Care Ealing

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated May 2022
    More details (Lanark Care Ealing)

  10. Considerate Home Care

    1.1 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2022
    More details (Considerate Home Care)

  11. Wise Home Care Services

    1.1 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Sensory impairments

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2022
    More details (Wise Home Care Services)

  12. Wellspring Recruitment and Care Services Limited

    1.2 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated May 2022
    More details (Wellspring Recruitment and Care Services Limited)

  13. Innovate Complex Care Services

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2023
    More details (Innovate Complex Care Services)

  14. Creative Support - London Services

    1.4 miles · Sensory impairments, Mental health conditions, Learning disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2023
    More details (Creative Support - London Services)

  15. HomeTouch Care Ltd

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Dec 2022
    More details (HomeTouch Care Ltd)

  16. Egeh's Care

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2023
    More details (Egeh's Care)

  17. Kulan Care Ltd

    1.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2022
    More details (Kulan Care Ltd)

  18. London Care (Holloway)

    1.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2022
    More details (London Care (Holloway))

  19. Radfield Home Care - Camden, Islington & Haringey

    1.8 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £37–£46/hr

    GoodRated Feb 2023
    More details (Radfield Home Care - Camden, Islington & Haringey)

  20. Islington Reablement Service

    under 0.5 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2019Previous provider's rating
    More details (Islington Reablement Service)

See all 48 agencies covering Islington →

Questions about live-in care in Islington

Who provides live-in care in Islington?

CQC does not record which agencies provide live-in care. 48 CQC-registered home care agencies are based in the borough of Islington; 28 are rated Good or Outstanding. Ask each whether it provides live-in care.

What does live-in care cost in Islington?

Typical prices in London in 2026: live-in care typically costs £1,300–£1,800 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 £1,456 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. The London Borough of Islington 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 Islington?

93% Good or Outstanding (28 of 30 rated). 5 were inspected or rated within two years, and 36 are registered for dementia.

Need live-in care in Islington?

One short form: a maximum of three agencies working with us will contact you directly by email.

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CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.

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