If you, or someone you know, is finding it hard to keep up with household tasks, then you or they may benefit from home help.
This post will outline the sort of services home help can provide and give you an idea of how much you should expect to pay for these services.
What Services Can Home Help Provide?
A home help care support worker can assist you with a number of tasks. These might include:
- Household chores – Including cleaning, washing and dusting. They can also shop for groceries and put these groceries away.
- Meal preparation – A carer can plan and prepare meals for you, taking into account your dietary requirements, likes and dislikes.
- Laundry – Your carer can keep on top of your laundry, ensuring your clothes are washed, ironed, folded and put away.
- Errands – They can pick up prescriptions, post letters and parcels on your behalf.
- Pet care – If you’ve got a pet, your carer support worker can help you feed them and let them out and in when necessary.
How Much Does Home Help Cost?
The cost of home help will depend on where you live in the country, along with the specific type of assistance you need. The type of home help you get will also affect the price. You’ll have to pay more for a live-in carer, for example, than you would for a carer who visits you a few times a day.
According to the UK Care guide, the average costs of home help care are:
- £25 – £35 an hour, for daily visits
- £206 a day, for live-in carers
- £130 – £160 a night, for overnight care
A daily visit can last between 30 minutes and four hours. Though depending on the support you need, a carer might stop by more than once a day.
How to Get Home Help
- Contact your council – Some councils provide home help services. Contact your local council to see if these services are available in your area. If your council does offer home help services, you can ask for a care needs assessment to see if you’re eligible. Depending on your situation, the council may contribute to the costs of your home help. Otherwise, you may have to pay for it yourself.
- Find a home help care provider – The NHS might offer home help services in your area. Also check the Care Quality Commission’s site for private homecare agencies in your area, and look out for local care and support charities like us.
How to Pay for Home Help care
It’s likely you’ll have to pay for the cost of home help care, even if you use the NHS or a charity. But you may be able to apply for certain grants and discounts to help with the costs.
Some benefits, such as Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payments, can help you cover the costs of home help care. Find out how to apply if you’re under State Pension age, and if you’re over State Pension age.
Bespoke Home Help Support for the Surrey Area
You can get bespoke support within the home with the Crossroads Direct service across Surrey and its borders.
Their experienced carers provide personalised support to meet your unique needs. They’ll assist you with a variety of daily tasks, from housework to meal prep, leaving you free to focus on what matters most to you.
Learn more about Crossroads Direct home help services and for more information, call 01372 677 831.
