Overnight Care in Grays: Costs, Funding and 139 Local Agencies (Oct 2026)

Two kinds of overnight care

A sleeping night means the carer sleeps in the spare room and is woken only when needed, typically once or twice at most. A waking night means they stay up all night, the right choice for someone who wanders, needs turning, help to the toilet or medicines in the night, or has a high risk of falling.

Ask each agency for two written prices, sleeping and waking, and what it charges on weekends and bank holidays. Sleeping nights are usually charged at a flat rate; waking nights cost noticeably more because they are based on the hourly rate.

Paying for night care

If the care needs assessment identifies needs at night, night care can go into the council care plan, and Thurrock council must carry out that assessment for free. Separately, Attendance Allowance pays its higher rate, £114.60 a week, to people over State Pension age needing help by day and by night, regardless of savings. Requesting an assessment from Thurrock council.

Who uses overnight care

Some need it every night; others book one or two nights a week. The usual triggers are a discharge from hospital, falls at night, dementia that unsettles sleep, end-of-life care, and a husband, wife or partner who provides care by day and needs a few full nights' rest.

Agencies covering Grays: the data

The oldest current rating dates from January 2018 (Kent Enablement at Home). Counting all listed agencies, not only rated ones, Grays (36% Good or Outstanding) is 4th out of 7 local towns, led by Stanford-le-Hope (45%). Compare Grays's 88% Good or Outstanding with 87% for the rated agencies among the 506 we list in Thurrock. The newest registration is Liv Inn Support Ltd, registered with CQC in September 2026. By specialism, 185 of 217 list physical disabilities, 102 of 217 list learning disabilities and 126 of 217 list mental health conditions. 168 of the 217 agencies (77%) list dementia as a specialism, against 80% across Thurrock.

Overnight care prices in Grays

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

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

Overnight care in Grays: common questions

Where can I find overnight care in Grays?

The CQC register does not show who offers overnight care. There are 139 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Grays, 88 of them rated Good or Outstanding, so ask each one.

What do sleeping and waking nights mean?

Waking nights cost more because the carer stays awake throughout. On a sleeping night they rest in a spare room and may be woken a time or two.

What does overnight care cost in Grays?

Ask for written prices for both: waking nights are usually based on hourly rates, sleeping nights on a flat fee.

Are home care agencies in Grays well rated?

88 of the 100 rated agencies (88%) are Good or Outstanding; 168 list dementia as a specialism and 28 were inspected or rated in the last two years.

Overnight care in Grays: ask who can help

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

Get prices from 3 providers

Related care pages for Grays

Overnight care nearby

Overnight care in Northfleet 3.5 mi
Overnight care in Aveley 3.7 mi
Overnight care in Gravesend 4.2 mi
Overnight care in Stanford-le-Hope 5.4 mi
Overnight care in Dartford 5.4 mi
Overnight care in Hartley 6.7 mi
Overnight care in Basildon 8.3 mi
Overnight care in Havering 8.4 mi

Get prices from 3 providers Back to agencies

Source for provider details: CQC, Oct 2026 (Open Government Licence v3.0). The Care Panel is a comparison site, not a care company.

Overnight care in Grays