Home care · West Northamptonshire
Live-in care in Northampton
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. Below are the 150 CQC-registered agencies that cover Northampton; ask each whether it offers this.
CQC register data as of 27 October 2026 · Prices: Typical prices across England in 2026
In short
- Of the 150 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Northampton, 56 have a Good or Outstanding rating.
- CQC does not record which agencies provide live-in care, so ask each agency directly.
- Expect live-in care to cost about around £1,540–£1,610 a week, compared with £1,250 a week for a residential care home (typical prices across England in 2026).
- A care needs assessment from West Northamptonshire council costs nothing.
To cite: "Live-in care in Northampton", The Care Panel, Oct 2026, from CQC register analysis.
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.
Live-in care against a care home
Here, a residential care home typically costs £1,250 a week and live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. A single person will often pay less in a care home, but a couple may pay less for live-in care than for two care home places, since one carer can look after both.
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.
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.
Help paying for it
West Northamptonshire 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 West Northamptonshire council for an assessment.
Home care in Northampton by the numbers
108 of the 150 agencies (72%) list dementia as a specialism, against 75% across West Northamptonshire. The oldest current rating dates from April 2017 (Homepoint Healthcare Services). The newest registration is Homelium Northampton, registered with CQC in September 2026. Registered specialisms here: 121 of 150 list physical disabilities, 82 of 150 list learning disabilities and 88 of 150 list mental health conditions. 69% of rated agencies covering Northampton are Good or Outstanding, compared with 71% of those rated among the 198 we list across West Northamptonshire. Two-year-old ratings or newer: 13% covering Northampton, 13% across West Northamptonshire. 1 is rated Outstanding here, out of 1 across West Northamptonshire. Counting all listed agencies, not only rated ones, Northampton (37% Good or Outstanding) is 6th out of 7 local towns, led by Daventry (45%).
Live-in care prices in Northampton
| Visiting care | around £32–£34 an hour |
|---|---|
| Live-in care | around £1,540–£1,610 a week |
| Residential care home | £1,250 a week |
| Nursing home | £1,480 a week |
What the council pays (West Northamptonshire Council): £23.07 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £965.36 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £1,060.43 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source).
Agencies differ more than regions do on hourly rates, so request a complete tariff from each one, covering weekends and bank holidays too. 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. Check what you would pay · Weekly cost calculator
Home care agencies in and around Northampton
Ask each agency whether it provides live-in care. Ranked by CQC rating and how recent it is, then distance.
Home Instead
Est. £34–£42/hr
Sanctuary Oasis Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
Caremark Northampton, Kettering and Wellingborough
Est. £30–£37/hr
Midlands Supported Living
Est. £30–£37/hr
Office 510 Kingsfield Close, NN5 7QS
Est. £30–£37/hr
Hylton Care
Est. £30–£37/hr
Loving Angels Care (West and North Northamptonshire)
Est. £30–£37/hr
JM Kamau Ltd T/A ProField
Est. £30–£37/hr
Empathy Care24 Northampton
Est. £30–£37/hr
ICSL East
Est. £30–£37/hr
IDG Care
Est. £30–£37/hr
Prestige Nursing Northampton
Est. £30–£37/hr
Cherry Care Services Limited - Northampton
Est. £30–£37/hr
Aventus Care Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Caredom Healthcare
Est. £30–£37/hr
Chiron Healthcare at Home Northampton Branch
Est. £30–£37/hr
Flexi Direct Ltd
Est. £30–£37/hr
St Michael's Support Limited
Est. £30–£37/hr
Roses Healthcare
Est. £30–£37/hr
Better Lives (Northants) LTD
Est. £30–£37/hr
Your questions on live-in care in Northampton
Which home care agencies offer live-in care in Northampton?
The CQC register does not show who offers live-in care. There are 150 registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Northampton, 56 of them rated Good or Outstanding, so ask each one.
What is the weekly price of live-in care in Northampton?
Live-in care is typically around £1,540–£1,610 a week here (typical prices across England in 2026); short placements, couples and complex needs usually push the price up.
Is live-in care cheaper than a care home?
Usually not for a single person, since a residential home averages £1,250 a week here. A couple, though, may pay less for live-in care than for two care home places.
Can live-in care be council funded?
With savings under £23,250, you may get help. The council must first find eligible needs and agree that live-in care would meet them suitably; West Northamptonshire council then carries out a financial assessment that ignores the home when care is at home.
How are agencies covering Northampton rated?
Of 81 agencies with a CQC rating, 56 (69%) are Good or Outstanding. Dementia is a specialism for 108, and 23 have a rating or inspection from the past two years.
Live-in care in Northampton: 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.
Related care pages for Northampton
Live-in care nearby
- Live-in care in Brixworth 5.4 mi
- Live-in care in Earls Barton 6.0 mi
- Live-in care in Wellingborough 8.8 mi
- Live-in care in Burton Latimer 11.8 mi
- Live-in care in Kettering 12.5 mi
- Live-in care in Rushden 12.7 mi
- Live-in care in Desborough 13.7 mi
- Live-in care in Milton Keynes 15.6 mi
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.