What is the difference between a care home and home care?

The primary difference is the setting. Care homes are residential facilities where individuals must move in to receive shared, round-the-clock support. Home care allows the individual to stay in their own property while a professional visits or moves in to provide dedicated support.

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

While both are residential facilities, nursing homes have registered nurses on-site 24/7 to manage complex medical interventions. Care homes focus primarily on personal care, mobility, and daily living assistance.

Is live-in care cheaper than a care home?

Often, yes. While the costs for a single person can be comparable to residential fees, live-in care is dramatically more cost-effective for couples, as one professional can support both partners for a single fee. Furthermore, using a direct introductory platform like No1 Healthcare makes private care significantly more affordable than using a traditional managed agency.

What is the difference between live-in care and 24-hour care?

With live-in care, a single professional lives in the home, providing support during the day and sleeping at night (with occasional waking support). True 24-hour care involves two or more professionals working waking shifts to ensure someone is fully alert and active at all times, day and night.

Care comparison guide

What Exactly Does a Live-in Carer Do?

Welcoming a professional into your home is a significant step, and knowing exactly what to expect provides vital peace of mind. A live-in carer moves into your loved one’s property to deliver comprehensive day-and-night support, ensuring they can remain safely in the environment they know and love.

At No1 Healthcare Private Carers, we believe that the best support is built on direct relationships. By bypassing traditional agency rotas, our platform allows you to choose a dedicated professional who fits seamlessly into your loved one’s daily routine.

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0333 344 0645

More savings

Skip traditional agency fees. As a direct private care provider, our premium home care services are highly affordable with absolutely no compromise on quality.

More Control

You are in charge. Define exactly how and when you receive support, whether you need flexible visiting care or 24-hour live-in care tailored to your needs.

More Choice

Choose your dedicated carer directly. Browse a curated list of fully vetted professionals who match your cultural preferences, lifestyle, and language.

More Support

Easily arrange and manage care all in one place. From scheduling to payments, our top-rated team is just a message away to support your journey.

Comprehensive Daily Assistance

The Scope of Support: What is Included?

When you arrange support directly, your chosen professional adapts to your family's unique lifestyle. Based on standard UK practices, here is a clear breakdown of how private carers in the UK can assist on a daily basis:

Category 01

Personal & Physical Support

Personal Hygiene

Respectful assistance with washing, bathing, and toileting routines.

Dressing & Grooming

Daily help with getting dressed, shaving, and hair styling.

Mobility Assistance

Encouraging gentle, suitable exercise and ensuring safe movement around the home to prevent falls.

Everyday Living

Category 02

Household & Lifestyle Management

Meal Preparation

Planning and cooking nutritious meals tailored to specific dietary requirements and personal tastes.

Light Housekeeping

Keeping the home safe and tidy, including vacuuming, laundry, and maintaining clean surfaces.

Light Gardening

Helping to water indoor plants or keeping garden pathways clear and safe.

Pet Care

Assisting with feeding and exercising beloved family pets so they can remain at home.

Running Errands

Collecting prescriptions, doing the weekly shop, or picking up essentials.

Admin Support

Helping to organise paperwork, sort through the post, and manage upcoming appointments.

Category 03

Medical Support & Companionship

Medication Prompting

Carefully ensuring that all prescribed medications are taken correctly and at the right times.

Meaningful Companionship

Sharing meals, encouraging hobbies, and providing a friendly, listening ear to prevent isolation.

Safety & Compliance Guidelines

Understanding the Medical Boundaries

It is important to know that the independent professionals on our platform are highly skilled care workers, not registered clinical nurses. To ensure total safety, there are specific boundaries regarding what a live-in professional can and cannot do.

No Ventilation or Oxygen Management: They cannot manage clinical breathing support systems like CPAP or BiPAP machines.

No Specialist Drug Administration: They cannot administer controlled substances, covert medication, glucose finger-pricks, injections, enemas, or suppositories.

No Invasive Clinical Procedures: They cannot perform stoma care, PEG feeding tube management, or complex wound care dressings.

No Freedom Restriction: They will never take any action that restricts your loved one’s freedom, such as locking them indoors against their will.

Permitted Basic Clinical Care: Private carers can provide basic catheter care, strictly limited to emptying leg bags and attaching night bags.

Daily Schedule & Living Structure

The Daily Routine: Hours and Rest Periods

A live-in arrangement is designed to provide comprehensive coverage while ensuring the professional remains well-rested, alert, and capable of delivering the highest standard of one-to-one care.

Active Daytime Support

Your professional typically provides up to 10 hours of active, hands-on assistance spread throughout the day to support routines, meals, and activities.

Overnight Presence

They reside in the home to offer reassurance and assist with occasional, unexpected night-time needs (such as an accompanied bathroom visit).

Required Accommodation

You must be able to provide a private, furnished bedroom with a comfortable bed and storage for the professional to sleep and relax in.

Scheduled Breaks

To maintain safe, high-quality support, carers require a minimum of 2 hours of uninterrupted break time during the daytime.

Respite Cover

When your primary carer needs time off or a holiday, we help you arrange a seamless, fully briefed short-term professional so care never stops.

Tailored Healthcare Experience

Specialist Condition-Led Expertise

Many families come to us looking for more than just household help. Through our platform, you can filter and connect with professionals who possess extensive experience in condition-specific support:

🧠

Memory Support

Dementia & Alzheimer’s

Dedicated dementia home care focuses on maintaining rigid, comforting routines, reducing sensory anxiety, and supporting memory recall in a safe, familiar home setting.

🚶

Mobility & Pace

Parkinson’s Disease

Adapting the daily pace to accommodate physical motor fluctuations, rigidity, medication timing, and preventing fall risks throughout the home.

🏥

Reablement

Stroke Rehabilitation

Providing physical encouragement, speech exercises, and steady one-to-one convalescent support following a hospital discharge to rebuild everyday independence.

🕊️

End-of-Life

Palliative Care

Ensuring dignity, maximum physical comfort, pain relief coordination, and deep emotional compassion during the final stages of life.

The Modern Alternative to Agencies

Why the Direct Route with No1 Healthcare is Superior

Since our launch, we have helped families across Great Britain discover a better way to arrange home support. By acting as an introductory platform, we put total control back in your hands.

You Choose Who Enters Your Home

You are never assigned a random, rotating agency worker. You browse profiles, review verified feedback, conduct interviews, and make the final decision.

Uncompromising Safety Standards

Every professional must pass rigorous vetting before using our platform, including identity checks, Enhanced DBS/PVG verification, right-to-work, and verified referencing.

Direct Communication

Forget relaying messages through a busy agency office. You communicate directly with your chosen carer, building genuine trust and a personal relationship.

Dedicated Human Support

Our Family Support Specialists are available 7 days a week to answer practical questions, guide you through the process, and offer vital reassurance.

Find Your Perfect Match Today

Register with No1 Healthcare Private Carers today to browse vetted professionals and arrange the perfect live-in support for your family.

0333 344 0645

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Common Questions Answered

Frequently Asked Questions

Find clear answers about working with self-employed live-in professionals through No1 Healthcare:

Do live-in professionals provide intensive night-time support?

A standard live-in arrangement includes overnight presence for peace of mind. They can assist with minor disturbances, usually up to twice per night for around 15 minutes per occurrence (such as a bathroom visit). If your loved one requires intensive, active support throughout the entire night, we recommend arranging a dedicated waking-night professional instead.

How quickly can the support start?

Because you connect directly with independent professionals, we bypass the slow administrative delays of traditional agencies. Support can often be arranged and start within 24 hours, and sometimes even sooner for urgent discharge or emergency situations.

Can I find someone specifically trained in dementia support?

Yes. Our platform connects you with professionals across the UK who have specific training in memory loss, Alzheimer's, and cognitive decline. You can specify this requirement when speaking with our care advisors to ensure you only meet professionals with the right expertise.

What happens when our primary carer needs a holiday?

Continuity is essential. When your primary professional schedules time off, you can use our platform to review and select a suitable short-term respite professional. The primary carer will complete a thorough handover to ensure a seamless transition for your loved one.

How do we ensure we find the right personality fit?

We believe matching goes beyond just physical skills. You have the opportunity to review detailed profiles and speak with professionals via phone or video call before making any commitments. This ensures you find someone who perfectly aligns with your loved one’s personality, hobbies, and cultural background.