Home Help in Gillingham: Costs, Funding and 143 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.

Agency, cleaner or council?

Many home care agencies in Gillingham 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. Requesting an assessment from Medway council.

Paying for home help

Home help is usually charged by the hour, at or just below the rate for visiting care. Medway 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.

Agencies covering Gillingham: the data

In Gillingham, 76% of agencies support people with dementia (109 of 143); the Medway figure is 78%. On their CQC registrations, 112 of 143 list physical disabilities, 59 of 143 list learning disabilities and 79 of 143 list mental health conditions. CQC registered Right at Home Maidstone in August 2026, the newest on this list. Compare Gillingham's 68% Good or Outstanding with 74% for the rated agencies among the 201 we list in Medway. Ranked against the 6 closest towns on our site by the share of every listed agency that is rated Good or Outstanding, Gillingham comes 7th of 7 (31%), with Rainham, Kent top at 39%. One rating goes back to February 2018: McNeil Homecare Limited. Ask what has changed since.

How much home help costs in Gillingham

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

What the council pays (Medway Council): £21.92 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £875.07 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,125.89 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. Work out a weekly cost · What would we pay?

Home help in Gillingham: common questions

Where can I find home help in Gillingham?

Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides home help. Of the 143 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Gillingham, 44 are rated Good or Outstanding.

How much does home help cost in Gillingham?

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.

Does the council pay for home help?

Only as part of meeting eligible needs after an assessment by Medway council; 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.

Are home care agencies in Gillingham well rated?

44 of the 65 rated agencies (68%) are Good or Outstanding; 109 list dementia as a specialism and 20 were inspected or rated in the last two years.

Need home help in Gillingham?

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

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Data: CQC register, Oct 2026, used under the Open Government Licence v3.0. We are an independent directory and do not provide care.

Home help in Gillingham