Agency vs private carer: which is right for you?
What is a home care agency?
Home care agencies – and private home care companies – exist to provide care for people who wish to avoid going into a care home. Continuing to live in the home you love while receiving additional support can benefit you both physically and emotionally and Helping Hands will always put your wellbeing at the forefront of your care experience. We’re not strictly an agency either – we’re a home care company with 37 years of delivering the very highest quality care, all fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales. That’s something you don’t traditionally find with care agencies, which is why we’re a cut above the rest and one of the UK’s most trusted providers.
What is a private carer?
Trying to decide on the best care option for people we love can be difficult. It’s a decision fraught with emotion; will the provider be reliable? Will the carers be kind? Will we be able to afford care? You may feel you’d like to employ a carer yourselves so that you can retain control over every aspect of the process, however this can take up a lot of your time. For instance, how will you ensure they’re suitable to be in your loved one’s home? Will you have time to follow up references on top of everything else in your life? While private carers can be a good choice, it may be better to leave the hiring and managing to a regulated home care provider.
Agency vs private carer: key differences
Private home carers in the traditional sense, are hired directly by the person needing care, or their loved ones, to provide care in the person’s home. This will be done on an individual basis, without making use of an agency or care company. While this can mean a more personal, direct relationship with the family, it also means that you haven’t got the reassurance of a company working for you, who can step in and manage issues or take over if the person cannot care for you at short notice.
Regulation and quality standards
Because we’re a long-established home care company, we are fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales, something you won’t get with private carers and some home care agencies.
Carer vetting and background checks
Our in-house recruitment team undertake all employment checks to make sure that the people we employ are suitable to go into our customers’ homes. We also utilise the DBS and take this responsibility very seriously.
Training and experience
We have our own training and development team at Helping Hands, meaning that our carers follow a bespoke programme of training to ensure that they have all the knowledge they’ll need to care for your condition.
Reliability and cover carers
Employing a private carer means that if they’re unavailable for any reason you will be left without care. Having fully managed care from a company such as Helping Hands means you’ll always have care if the unforeseen happens.
Care management and support
Having a fully managed care service, such as the one we offer, means that you’ll have a dedicated local manager and care team in your area, and a centralised customer care team at the end of the phone to answer any queries.
Care costings and fees
It’s important to know how much you’ll be paying for your care, which is why we keep our fees and costs easy to interpret. While it may seem more expensive at first, you have to consider the peace of mind you’ll also receive.
Employment responsibilities
Unlike private carers and agencies, we employ all of our carers directly, meaning they benefit from full employment law protection. We feel this is vital to ensure our carers feel valued and supported in their work at all times.
Safeguarding and complaints
If you have a problem with a private carer, you may not know where to turn. However, if you had an issue with any of our carers or care procedures, we have a formal complaint process that would be conducted without delay.
Pros and cons of hiring a private carer
There are pros and cons of every type of care, whether private or agency. A private carer can mean you have someone recommended to you from a person you trust. This can be valuable if you’re anxious about having someone in your home.
Advantages of a private carer
You may get to know them very well, meaning that you develop a relationship based on trust very quickly. Having several different carers may make that more difficult, especially for someone living with dementia for example.
Disadvantages of a private carer
They’re a lone worker. If you had a problem with them or they suddenly couldn’t come to support you, where would you turn? This could cause additional stress for you and your loved ones and leave you without care unexpectedly.
Pros and cons of using a home care agency
Home care agencies or home care companies usually have a strategy in place in case of problems. For instance, if your carer cannot attend, they will usually have another member of the team who can come in their place. This gives peace of mind to all involved that care will always be covered.
Advantages of a home care agency
Having a larger infrastructure, often with many carers working for them in the local area, will mean that they should be able to cover carer absences fairly easily. This ensures you have a consistent service even if your regular carer is away. There are also high levels of protection for both carer and customer in case of any issues.
Disadvantages of a home care agency
Larger companies sometimes mean higher prices, as there will be more intricate operational costs to cover. At Helping Hands, we pay higher wages than the industry average because we want to attract and retain the best carers. This ensures that you are always properly supported and we can immediately help in the unlikely event of any problems.
Is a private carer cheaper than an agency?
Prices across the care industry vary widely so it’s impossible to categorically state that private care is cheaper than agency or care company charges. When considering care, it’s important to look at what you are getting for your money and how that alters between the different services. For instance, private carers usually work alone which means you may have to look for alternative support when they wish to take a holiday, or if they are unavailable due to illness. You also won’t have a clear process to follow if you wish to raise a complaint. Peace of mind is usually worth paying a little extra for.
Are private carers regulated?
The Care Quality Commission regulates carers differently depending on whether they are employed as a lone worker or are employed by a care company, and whether they provide personal care to people “who are unable to provide it for themselves because of old age, illness or disability.” You should ask the private carer how they are regulated and whether they are adequately insured before you engage them to come into your home. The reassurance of having care from a company such as Helping Hands is that we’re fully regulated by the CQC and CIW to deliver all aspects of care, and our in-house clinical nursing team are also on hand to manage complex care situations.
What responsibilities do you have when hiring a private carer?
When you hire a private carer it’s your responsibility to ensure that all employment and health and safety legalities are followed. Your home is their workplace after all, and it needs to be a safe place for them to carry out their duties. You may be responsible for making sure that tax and national insurance are properly filed, and that your carer is fulfilling all aspects of their contract with you; effectively you would be their manager. If that sounds like it may be too much to take on, you may be better off with a carer from an established company such as Helping Hands.
When might a private carer be suitable?
Choosing a private carer may mean you feel more in control of the whole experience from beginning to end. You choose the carer who you want to support you and work closely with them to build your plan of care. They will agree to specified tasks in advance and will take the time to get to know your routines, preferences, and health needs. You will quickly develop a rapport as they are the only person responsible for your care. It may even work out cheaper as you’re going directly to the source, rather than through a third-party agency or company. Private carers may also offer flexibility with irregular schedules and require little notice for changes.
When might a care agency be the better choice?
The structured support of agency or company carers means that there’s a guarantee of professionalism and high standards of training. Helping Hands for instance have residential assessment and training courses for all of our live-in carers, and a programme of bespoke development for our visiting carers. Care agencies and companies provide essential backup if your carer cannot attend for whatever reason, meaning that families do not have to put their lives on hold and step in if a private carer is suddenly unavailable. And because the agency handles payroll, contracts, and background checks, you and your loved ones only need to focus on your wellbeing.
Agency vs private carer
Both agency and private care are delivered in your own home. It allows you to have
the support you need without the disruption of moving into a care or nursing home.
You have the backing of a large organisation
Cover will be on hand if your carer cannot attend
Emergency support will always be available
Fully regulated by the CQC and CIW
Your carer's employment contract will be fully managed
How to choose between a private carer and a care agency
Before you can make an informed decision, you need to have all the facts in your possession. You and your loved ones should decide which type of care suits your needs best; a private carer, an agency, visiting or live-in care. Only then can you begin making plans. You should also contact your local authority to have a care needs assessment carried out, as they will decide whether you’ll receive funding towards your care costs. It all comes down to your preferences for the type of care that would suit you best and your budget.
Arrange regulated home care with Helping Hands
We’ve been delivering exceptional care in our customers’ homes since 1989, so it’s no surprise we’re considered one of the UK’s best home care providers. We value our carers enormously, believing them to be some of the best in the industry, which is why we employ them directly, unlike a care agency. We also pay them above average rates and offer paid holiday and sickness benefits. We have a strict assessment and training process which only a small number of applicants are successful at, which is just one of the ways that we ensure that only the very best people are working or us. We also offer qualifications through our training partners such as NVQs and apprenticeships, meaning your carers will always be highly trained and motivated in their work.
FAQs
This will be entirely up to you depending on your preferences and routine. Some people enjoy sourcing a carer themselves whereas others appreciate a company taking that responsibility off their shoulders.
Yes, there are many carers who advertise independently for clients, and websites that specialise in hosting carer profiles.
No, it all depends on the type of service they are providing. If they are just undertaking housework for instance and not personal care, they may not need to be regulated. It is best to talk to the potential carer, or come straight to a company such as Helping Hands, as we’re fully regulated with the CQC and CIW.
The risks of hiring a private carer are mostly around what happens in an emergency. If your carer doesn’t turn up, needs to take a holiday, or becomes ill you may not have anywhere to turn. If you have care from an established company however, there will be other carers available who will be able to step in.
This totally depends. Factors such as where you live, the complexity of your care needs, and how many carers need to attend to you will have an effect on price. While agencies and care companies may need to charge more to cover overheads, you should always decide what you want from your care and choose the provider who fits closest to that.
Private carers will need to take breaks from their caring duties, just as any other carer does. You may be responsible for finding cover care in such instances or even go into a residential home temporarily to ensure you receive the care you need. Alternatively, you can approach a company such as Helping Hands to receive temporary respite care.