Live-in Care in Hillingdon

Yes, we provide live-in care anywhere in Hillingdon, from Harefield and Northwood to Harlington on the edge of Heathrow. A carer moves into your home and supports you through the day following a written care plan, and it starts with a free home assessment. Because the carer lives with you, the distance from our Lewisham office makes no difference to the care.

From SE13 to UB10: why the distance stops mattering

Hillingdon is about as far as London gets from our office. Uxbridge, Ruislip and Northwood are an hour and a half or more from Lewisham by public transport, which is why we are careful about promising visiting care here. Live-in care is different. Once the carer has arrived, nobody is crossing London several times a day, nobody is stuck on the A40, and there is no gap between a bedtime call and a morning call. The journey happens at the start of a placement and at changeovers, and we plan those.

It also suits the shape of the borough. North-south links in Hillingdon are weak and Harefield has no station at all, so even a carer who lives locally can struggle to get from Hayes to Ruislip on time. Living in removes that problem.

Does a Ruislip semi have room for a live-in carer?

Usually, yes. Much of northern Hillingdon, in Ruislip, Eastcote, Ickenham and Northwood, is 1920s and 1930s Metroland: semis and detached houses where the children have long since moved out and a second or third bedroom sits empty. That is the main thing a live-in carer needs: a bedroom of their own, somewhere to keep their belongings, and use of the kitchen and bathroom. A spacious house is not required.

The sticking point in these houses is usually the stairs. At the assessment we look at whether a stairlift, a bed brought downstairs or a ground-floor wet room would make the house work for the next few years, and we will tell you if we think the layout needs changing before care can be safe. Bungalows, which are more common here than in inner London, are often the easiest homes of all for hoists and wheelchairs.

In the south of the borough, around Hayes, Yiewsley and West Drayton, more people live in terraces, council flats and newer blocks near the Elizabeth line. A two-bedroom flat with a lift can work perfectly well. A one-bedroom flat cannot, and in that case we will talk through other options with you.

Two of you, one carer

Live-in care can support a couple in the same house, which matters to husbands and wives who have lived in the same Ickenham or Eastcote road for decades and do not want to be split between two care home rooms. One carer can help both people, provided the combined needs are manageable for one person. If one of you needs two people to transfer safely, or care through the night, we will say so at the assessment and plan for it, not hope for the best.

The carer's own breaks, and who covers them

A live-in carer is entitled to a daily break, to proper rest at night, and to holidays. We agree the daily break with you at the assessment, so you know when the carer will be off and whether a family member, a neighbour or a sit-in visit will cover that time. When the carer takes leave, we arrange a replacement carer in advance and brief them on the care plan, so the household is not left without anyone.

If night-time needs are heavy, for example someone with dementia who is up and about several times a night, one carer cannot do days and nights indefinitely. We will be straight with you about that.

Live-in care or a care home in Hillingdon?

The question can come up suddenly, after a stay at Hillingdon Hospital or a fall at home. A care home suits some people well, particularly where round-the-clock nursing is needed. Live-in care suits people who want to stay at home, keep a pet, keep their own routine, and stay near the neighbours, church or club they know. For a couple it can also mean one arrangement instead of two residential placements.

For a parent with dementia, the council's Hillingdon Admiral Nurse team (01895 556480) supports families, including at the point of deciding about a care home, and is a good independent voice to talk to alongside us. Our dementia care page explains how we approach live-in support for someone living with dementia.

How much does live-in care cost in Hillingdon?

We quote in writing after the free assessment, because the cost depends on the care needed, whether one or two people are being supported, and what happens at night. We do not give figures over the phone.

Who pays is settled by assessments, not by the type of care:

• Hillingdon Council. Ask Hillingdon Social Care Direct (01895 556633) for a needs assessment. If the council funds care, it charges after a financial assessment, and you can take the money as a direct payment on the council's pre-paid card and use it with a provider you choose. The council's how will the council pay for my care page explains direct payments and deferred payments.
• Your home and the means test. If you receive care in your own home, the value of that home is not counted in the council's financial assessment. It is counted for a permanent care home placement, which is where the council's deferred payment scheme comes in for homeowners with less than £23,250 in other capital.
• NHS Continuing Healthcare. If someone's needs are mainly health needs, the NHS may fund the whole package. In Hillingdon this is assessed through NHS North West London Integrated Care Board. The NHS guide to Continuing Healthcare explains eligibility.

Our paying for care guide goes through each route in more detail.

What we can help with in Hillingdon

• A carer living in, with their own room
• Care for one person or a couple
• Personal care through the day
• Medication support
• Cooking, housekeeping and laundry
• Dementia support at home
• Company, outings and appointments
• Cover arranged for the carer's breaks