Home care · Surrey
Live-in care in Thames Ditton
With live-in care, a trained carer moves into the home to give support around the clock, and families often choose it instead of a move to a care home. None has confirmed it to us yet, so ask the 129 CQC-registered agencies covering Thames Ditton directly.
Agencies from the CQC register, updated 19 October 2026. Prices: Prices typically seen across England in 2026
The short version
- Of the 129 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Thames Ditton, 216 have a Good or Outstanding rating.
- The CQC register does not say who provides live-in care: ask the agencies directly.
- Typical live-in cost: around £1,540–£1,610 a week, compared with £1,450 a week for a residential care home (prices typically seen across England in 2026).
- Ask Surrey council for a care needs assessment, which is free.
Reference this page as: The Care Panel, "Live-in care in Thames Ditton", Oct 2026, based on the CQC register.
What a live-in carer does
- Rota: usually one or two weeks living in, then a second carer takes over.
- Tasks: washing, dressing, meals, medicines, housework, getting out, company.
- At home: the person keeps their routine, pets and neighbours.
- The carer needs: their own room, about two hours off each day and proper sleep at night.
When someone needs help on most nights, one live-in carer is not enough: add another carer, or book waking nights as well. Agencies should flag this during their assessment.
Two kinds of live-in agency
Agencies come in two types. With a managed service, the agency employs the carer or supervises them, holds a Care Quality Commission registration and carries responsibility for the care. With an introductory agency, you are matched with a self-employed carer and take on the job of arranging and overseeing the care yourself; such agencies are not usually registered with CQC. Before signing, find out which type you are dealing with, who steps in for holidays and illness, and what happens if the match does not work.
Live-in care against a care home
Typical local costs are around £1,540–£1,610 a week for live-in care and £1,450 a week for a residential home. With one carer able to support two people, live-in care may undercut two care home places for a couple, though for someone on their own a care home is often the cheaper route.
Ask two questions. Can one carer meet the person's needs safely? Do they want to stay at home? If both answers are yes, live-in care fits. If moving them takes two people around the clock, or they are lonely at home, look at care homes.
Help paying for it
Surrey council must offer a free care needs assessment. If it agrees that live-in care is the right way to meet eligible needs, it can contribute after a financial assessment, and for care at home the value of the home is not counted. You can take the council's contribution as a direct payment and use it with an agency you choose. People with a primary health need may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which pays in full. How to ask Surrey council for an assessment.
Agencies covering Thames Ditton: the data
Dementia appears on 257 of 296 registrations here (87%), compared with 84% in Surrey as a whole. Looking at specialisms, 251 of 296 list physical disabilities, 165 of 296 list learning disabilities and 177 of 296 list mental health conditions. HEALTHQO CARE PROFESSIONALS LTD is the most recently registered, joining the CQC register in October 2026. 96% of rated agencies covering Thames Ditton are Good or Outstanding, compared with 91% of those rated among the 1,091 we list across Surrey. Counting all listed agencies, not only rated ones, Thames Ditton ranks first of 7 local towns for Good or Outstanding ratings (73%), with Claygate second (73%). Dial House has the oldest rating still in force, from December 2017.
How much live-in care costs in Thames Ditton
| Visiting care | around £32–£34 an hour |
|---|---|
| Live-in care | around £1,540–£1,610 a week |
| Residential care home | £1,450 a week |
| Nursing home | £1,695 a week |
Surrey County Council's own rates: 2025/26 guide prices for older people's care homes: residential £806.45, residential enhanced £867.78, nursing £930.25, nursing enhanced £991.58 per week (nursing excluding FNC); home care uplifted 3.5% (no hourly rate published) (source).
The gap between agencies is bigger than the gap between regions. Ask for prices in writing, and check what weekends and bank holidays cost. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care in England at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Tools: weekly cost calculator and what would we pay?
Home care agencies that cover Thames Ditton
Ranked on CQC rating, its date and then distance. Ask each one about live-in care.
Comfort Care At Home
Est. £36–£44/hr
Trinity Homecare
Est. £36–£44/hr
Trinity Homecare (Worcester Park)
Est. £36–£44/hr
Home Instead
Est. £34–£42/hr
Home Instead
Est. £34–£42/hr
Tendacare
Est. £32–£39/hr
Right at Home Sutton & Mid-Surrey
Est. £32–£39/hr
Hollyfield House
Est. £34–£42/hr
Blue Ribbon Community Care in South West London
Est. £34–£42/hr
Excellence Healthcare Services Ltd
Est. £34–£42/hr
Master One Care
Est. £34–£42/hr
SDL Kingston
Est. £34–£42/hr
Vigilant Health Care Ltd
Est. £34–£42/hr
Emezzions Care
Est. £34–£42/hr
Link House
Est. £34–£42/hr
Alpenbest
Est. £34–£42/hr
Care Quality Services Sutton
Est. £34–£42/hr
Heypi Care Service
Est. £34–£42/hr
Absolute Care Services
Est. £34–£42/hr
Leys Consultants
Est. £34–£42/hr
Live-in care in Thames Ditton: common questions
Which home care agencies offer live-in care in Thames Ditton?
The CQC register does not show who offers live-in care. There are 129 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Thames Ditton, 216 of them rated Good or Outstanding, so ask each one.
What does live-in care cost in Thames Ditton?
Prices typically seen across England in 2026: live-in care typically costs around £1,540–£1,610 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 £1,450 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. Surrey council 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 are agencies covering Thames Ditton rated?
Of 225 agencies with a CQC rating, 216 (96%) are Good or Outstanding. Dementia is a specialism for 257, and 89 have a rating or inspection from the past two years.
Need live-in care in Thames Ditton?
One short form: a maximum of three agencies working with us will contact you directly by email.
More about care in Thames Ditton
Nearby towns for live-in care
CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.