Home care · London

Live-in care in Kensington and Chelsea

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. None has confirmed it to us yet, so ask the 15 CQC-registered agencies covering Kensington and Chelsea directly.

Updated 27 October 2026 (CQC register) · Prices: Usual 2026 prices in London

Written by our editorial team, then checked. Editorial policy · Our funding

Key points

  • 15 CQC-registered home care agencies are based in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea; 12 are rated Good or Outstanding.
  • The London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has to offer a care needs assessment free of charge.
  • Which agencies provide live-in care is not on the CQC register, so ask each one.
  • Expect live-in care to cost about £1,300–£1,800 a week, against £1,615 a week for a residential home (usual 2026 prices in London).

Citation: "Live-in care in Kensington and Chelsea", The Care Panel analysis of CQC register data, 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.

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 £1,300–£1,800 a week, against £1,615 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.

Funding live-in care

  • Assessment: free from the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
  • 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.

Asking the London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for an assessment.

Agencies covering Kensington and Chelsea: the data

Octavia Housing – Miranda House is the most recently registered, joining the CQC register in February 2026. Across London we list 2,452 agencies, and 89% of those rated are Good or Outstanding; covering Kensington and Chelsea the figure is 92%. No nearby town we list has a higher share of its listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding than Kensington and Chelsea (80%); Wandsworth follows at 70%. Hammersmith has the oldest rating still in force, from January 2020. Dementia appears on 9 of 15 registrations here (60%), compared with 81% in London as a whole. On their CQC registrations, 10 of 15 list physical disabilities, 5 of 15 list learning disabilities and 5 of 15 list mental health conditions.

What live-in care costs in Kensington and Chelsea

Usual 2026 prices in London
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£1,615 a week
Nursing home£1,850 a week

What the council pays (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea): £23.84 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £1,146.86 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,045.31 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).

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. Estimate the weekly cost or see what you might pay

Home care agencies serving Kensington and Chelsea

Check with each agency that it offers live-in care. Order: CQC rating, then how recent, then distance.

  1. Margaret Thatcher Infirmary

    1.3 miles · Older people

    Est. £36–£44/hr

    OutstandingRated Sep 2024
    See details (Margaret Thatcher Infirmary)

  2. Home Instead Kensington & Chelsea

    0.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £37–£45/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2026Inspected recently
    See details (Home Instead Kensington & Chelsea)

  3. Helping Hands Kensington & Chelsea

    1.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £32–£39/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2025Inspected recently
    See details (Helping Hands Kensington & Chelsea)

  4. Sabir Care UK Ltd

    2.0 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2025Inspected recently
    See details (Sabir Care UK Ltd)

  5. Equal People Mencap

    2.1 miles · Older people, Learning disabilities, Adults under 65

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Oct 2026Inspected recently
    See details (Equal People Mencap)

  6. Hope Care Agency

    2.3 miles · Older people, Adults under 65

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Sep 2026Inspected recently
    See details (Hope Care Agency)

  7. Ivy Homecare Services Limited

    2.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2026Inspected recently
    See details (Ivy Homecare Services Limited)

  8. Westward Consultants Limited Trading as Draycott Nursing and Care

    1.1 miles · Older people, Adults under 65

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Nov 2023
    See details (Westward Consultants Limited Trading as Draycott Nursing and Care)

  9. Virtus Care LTD

    1.7 miles · Older people, Physical disabilities, Mental health conditions

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Jun 2022
    See details (Virtus Care LTD)

  10. Healthvision UK Ltd - North Kensington

    2.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated May 2024
    See details (Healthvision UK Ltd - North Kensington)

  11. Hammersmith

    0.6 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Jan 2020
    See details (Hammersmith)

  12. Angela Hamlin Health Care Professionals

    0.9 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    GoodRated Mar 2023Previous provider's rating
    See details (Angela Hamlin Health Care Professionals)

  13. Caremark Kensington

    2.4 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £34–£42/hr

    Requires improvementRated Sep 2025Inspected recently
    See details (Caremark Kensington)

  14. Octavia Housing – Miranda House

    1.4 miles · Older people

    Est. £33–£40/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    See details (Octavia Housing – Miranda House)

  15. Threedots Healthcare Ltd

    2.3 miles · Dementia, Older people, Physical disabilities

    Est. £33–£40/hr

    Not yet ratedNot yet rated
    See details (Threedots Healthcare Ltd)

All 15 home care agencies covering Kensington and Chelsea →

Live-in care in Kensington and Chelsea: common questions

Which agencies provide live-in care in Kensington and Chelsea?

Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides live-in care. Of the 15 registered agencies that are based in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, 12 are rated Good or Outstanding.

How much should I budget for live-in care in Kensington and Chelsea?

Usual 2026 prices in London: around £1,300–£1,800 a week for live-in care, with higher prices usual for couples, complex needs and short placements.

Does live-in care cost less than a care home?

For one person, usually not: a residential care home averages £1,615 a week locally. For a couple, live-in care can be cheaper than two care home places.

Can I get council funding for live-in care?

Possibly. The London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea first assesses care needs; if they are eligible and live-in care suits them, it means-tests your finances. Help can go to people with savings below £23,250, and for care at home the house is left out.

What CQC ratings do agencies covering Kensington and Chelsea have?

CQC rates 12 of 13 as Good or Outstanding, or 92%. Recent evidence: 7 rated or inspected in two years. Dementia specialists: 9.

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