Home Help in Westminster: Costs, Funding and 24 Local Agencies (Oct 2026)

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. The London Borough of Westminster 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 Westminster 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. Asking the London Borough of Westminster for an assessment.

Agencies covering Westminster: the data

LDN London Domiciliary Care Service has the oldest rating still in force, from August 2018. Kensington and Chelsea has the highest share of listed agencies rated Good or Outstanding nearby (80%); Westminster, at 46%, is 6th of the 7 towns compared. 100% of rated agencies covering Westminster are Good or Outstanding, compared with 89% of those rated among the 2,452 we list across London. Prestige Care Support Services Ltd is the most recently registered, joining the CQC register in August 2026. Registered specialisms here: 17 of 24 list physical disabilities, 7 of 24 list learning disabilities and 10 of 24 list mental health conditions. Dementia appears on 15 of 24 registrations here (63%), compared with 81% in London as a whole.

How much home help costs in Westminster

Prices typically seen 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

Westminster City Council's own rates: £23.68 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £1,064 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £984 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. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?

Home help in Westminster: common questions

Which agencies provide home help in Westminster?

Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides home help. Of the 24 registered agencies that are based in the borough of Westminster, 11 are rated Good or Outstanding.

What does home help cost in Westminster?

Expect an hourly charge close to the local visiting care rate, sometimes slightly less for housework only. Check the minimum visit length and weekend rates before you book.

Will the council fund help with housework?

Only as part of meeting eligible needs after an assessment by the London Borough of Westminster; housework on its own rarely qualifies. Attendance Allowance, which ignores savings, is often used to pay for home help.

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.

What CQC ratings do agencies covering Westminster have?

CQC rates 11 of 11 as Good or Outstanding, or 100%. Recent evidence: 8 rated or inspected in two years. Dementia specialists: 15.

Need home help in Westminster?

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

Compare local prices

More about care in Westminster

Nearby towns for home help

Home help in Camden 1.3 mi
Home help in St John's Wood 1.6 mi
Home help in Kensington and Chelsea 2.2 mi
Home help in Chelsea 2.3 mi
Home help in Islington 2.5 mi
Home help in City of London 2.6 mi
Home help in Southwark 3.4 mi
Home help in Hammersmith and Fulham 3.6 mi

Compare local prices See agencies

Built from the Care Quality Commission's register (Oct 2026) under Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel lists and compares services but runs none.

Home help in Westminster