Home Help in Farncombe: Costs, Funding and 42 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 Farncombe 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. Getting assessed by Surrey council.

Paying for home help

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

What the register shows for Farncombe

Across Surrey we list 1,090 agencies, and 91% of those rated are Good or Outstanding; covering Farncombe the figure is 100%. Across Surrey, 22% of agencies have a rating under two years old; covering Farncombe it is 29%. Outstanding ratings: 3 covering Farncombe, 16 across Surrey. Ranked against the 6 closest towns on our site by the share of every listed agency that is rated Good or Outstanding, Farncombe comes 2nd of 7 (81%), with Godalming top at 83%. The share registered for dementia is 95% in Farncombe (40 of 42) and 84% across Surrey. Oldest rating on the list: White Bird Care and Nursing Agency, February 2018. Most recent to register: New Lite Care Services (April 2025). By specialism, 37 of 42 list physical disabilities, 21 of 42 list learning disabilities and 28 of 42 list mental health conditions.

Home help prices in Farncombe

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

What Surrey County Council pays providers: £24.87 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £952.38 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £988.04 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).

Ask every agency for a full list of charges, with weekend and bank holiday rates: hourly rates vary more between agencies than between regions. 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?

Questions about home help in Farncombe

Who provides home help in Farncombe?

Ask each agency: CQC keeps no record of who provides home help. Of the 42 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Farncombe, 34 are rated Good or Outstanding.

How much is a home help per hour in Farncombe?

Home help is usually charged by the hour, at or a little below the local rate for visiting care. Ask each agency for its hourly rate, minimum visit length and any weekend charges in writing.

Will the council fund help with housework?

Sometimes, if Surrey council's care needs assessment finds eligible needs and practical help is part of meeting them. Help with housework alone often does not qualify, so many people use Attendance Allowance, which is not means-tested, to pay privately.

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.

How good are home care agencies around Farncombe?

100% Good or Outstanding (34 of 34 rated). 14 were inspected or rated within two years, and 40 are registered for dementia.

Home help in Farncombe: ask who can help

Describe what's needed in one form, and featured partners and as many as three rated agencies that accept enquiries via The Care Panel email you back.

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Related care pages for Farncombe

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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 Farncombe