Introduction
Home care agencies can provide a lifeline of help to people who need assistance in their day to day lives, from completing basic personal tasks like getting dressed and eating to getting about outside, all from the comfort of their own homes. If you need the support of a home care agency, it is important that you are comfortable with the one you have chosen, that you know exactly what to expect, and that you feel you can trust them before you even meet them. So how do you know which are the best home care agencies in the UK? What should you look out for in a home care agency? And what other types of things can you expect them to help you with? We are going to cover all of these things in this blog post, so read on to find out more.
What is a Home Care Agency?
Home care agencies are registered and regulated agencies that employ care workers and arrange for them to visit people in need at their own homes. There are lots of reasons why some people may need some support, not just because of old age but for reasons like physical disabilities or impairments and mental diseases like dementia. All of these, and more, can make completing day to day tasks alone difficult, so having someone to help can be just what is needed.
When a care worker from a home care agency visits, they will provide care services such as eating meals, washing, moving around the house, getting changed, taking medication and getting out and about.
Many home care agencies will also provide nursing care to people when they visit them, though these types of visits must be carried out by a registered nurse.
How are Home Care Agencies Regulated?
There are over 12,000 registered home care agencies in the UK, all regulated by relevant regulatory bodies.
In the UK, there are three different regulatory bodies depending on where you live. If you live in England, your chosen home care agency will be regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), if you live in Scotland, it is the Care Inspectorate and in Wales the Care Inspectorate Wales. The role of these bodies is to ensure that home care agencies are adhering to certain rules and requirements that provide the best possible care for those they are looking after.
What to Look for in a Home Care Agency?
Choosing a home care agency may seem quite overwhelming, and it is an important decision to make, whether you are doing it for yourself or for a loved one. Here are a few things to bear in mind when choosing a home care agency in the UK:
- What kind of care and services they provide, and whether these suit your/the individuals specific needs.
- The policies and procedures that the home care agency has in place.
- Whether they meet the CQC’s requirements for being a good home care agency: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led?
- Are the staff the agency employs DBS checked? This stands for Disclosure and Barring Service which shows if someone has a criminal record or any cautions that might make them unsuitable for working in care.
Which are the Best Home Care Agencies in the UK?
Now that we have discussed what a home care agency is, how they are regulated, and what you should expect from a good one, let’s have a look at some of the best home care agencies that exist in the UK.
The results of the Top 20 Home Care Provider Awards 2023 show the top 20 home care agencies in each region of the UK. Though the 2024 results are yet to be announced, the following home care agencies came top in their relevant region in 2023 as some of the best:
London
Blue Ribbon Community Care
Blue Ribbon Community Care is one of the top rated home care agencies in the UK and is based in the London area. They have won the Home Care Provider top 20 award more than any other home care agency in the UK and provide a variety of services including hourly care, live in care, housekeeping and care for specific needs such as dementia.
East of England
1 Oak Home Care
This Suffolk-based home care agency is also ranked as one of the top in the UK for its holistic approach to care. They offer everything you would expect from a home care agency, including personal care, hospital services and respite services, but also provide some added extras like in-house hairdressing services, maintenance services and social outings.
East Midlands
Ashbourne Quality Care Ltd
Based in Ashbourne, East Midlands, Ashbourne Quality Care Ltd is a top ranking UK home care agency for its top care for adults who need it. They provide a number of services for adults who are elderly, vulnerable, disabled or in need of help whilst they recover from an operation or an illness. From medication support to support with cooking meals and personal care, they offer it all as well as some other specialist care services like palliative and high dependency care.
North East England
My Homecare Assistance
Providing support for those who need it in a number of different ways, My Homecare Assistance is another one of the top ranking home care agencies in the UK. They cater for a variety of different needs and also offer a live in service as an alternative to residential care. Along with this, they offer visits of varying times dependent on the needs of the person, and in this time can help with things such as shopping, personal care, mental health conditions, cleaning and more.
South West England
Burley’s Home Care Services
This privately owned home care agency is ranked as one of the top agencies in the UK for its custom built care packages that are tailored towards the person in need, ensuring their specific requirements are met all from the comfort of the home. From outings and shopping trips to a pop in for some company, their workers are skilled at what they do and provide support like this to older people, people with dementia, learning difficulties and mental health conditions too. Their service revolves around providing person-centered care, catering to the individual as well as their care needs.
South East England
Leah Care
This West Sussex-based home care agency ranks as one of the top in the UK for its specific care plans that are designed to suit the individual who needs it. From needing assistance due to age or illness, or just needing some companionship each day, their care workers provide what is needed, when it is needed. This includes specialist care like cancer, dementia and drug dependence, as well as support with risk assessments in the home and home care for children.
West Midlands
Essential Health Ltd
This Stoke-on-Trent-based home care agency pride themselves on providing personal home care to their clients, whatever the reason they may need them for. They offer services that are flexible, personal and supportive for all needs, including palliative care, physical disabilities, companionship and elderly care among many others. Their recruitment process also includes Continuing Professional Development training, so their carers will always stay the best at what they do.
Yorkshire and the Humber
Sirius Homecare
Hull’s Sirius Homecare is another top ranking home care agency in the UK that is a family-run and experienced business. They offer care that ranges from 30 minutes in length to 24/7 and offer personalised care services from highly trained care workers. They offer all the services you would expect, from domestic services and call ins to physical disability care and respite cover, along with many more. No matter what service you or a loved one need, they can support you whenever you need it.
Scotland
JB Agency Homecare
Based in Edinburgh, JB Agency Homecare provides care for older people who need help and support. They have carers who work around the clock, so care is offered whenever it is needed the most, from 24 hour care to pop ins and shopping outings. They offer specialist care such as for people with learning disabilities, those who need palliative care and respite cover, among others.
Wales
Relax Care
Relax Care is based in Cardiff and ranks as one of the UK’s top home care agencies delivering care to those in need. They are committed to providing high-quality and dedicated personal care no matter what is needed- from domestic services to older person care, they offer a variety of specialist care category services.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing a home care agency in the UK, you want to make sure that you are making the best decision for you or your loved one who is in need. It is important to understand what exactly home care agencies are and how they are regulated before looking at the best ones for the needs you require. The Home Care Provider Awards rank the best home care agencies in the UK each year, and the ones we have discussed in this post are just a handful of the top ranking home care agencies across the UK, and there are many more. Remember to carry out research and regulatory checks, and ensure that everyone involved is happy and comfortable with the home care agency you choose.
