Will Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council pay for home care?

It may, depending on a financial assessment carried out after the care needs assessment. The council considers income, savings and capital, and contributes towards the cost where these fall below the national threshold. Funding is set at a level judged sufficient to meet assessed needs and can be taken as a direct payment so the household chooses its own agency. Where savings sit above the threshold, the arrangement is private between the family and the provider.

How do we arrange a care needs assessment in Christchurch?

Contact the adult social care team at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and ask for a care needs assessment. It is free, it is not means tested and anyone who appears to need care is entitled to one. A relative, a GP or a hospital team can make the referral where the person cannot. The assessment covers daily tasks, safety and existing support, and it sets out how many hours of care are considered necessary.

How far in advance should we start arranging home care?

As early as the need becomes clear, because assessments take time and agencies are not always free to start at once. A few weeks of notice allows you to speak to more than one provider and compare inspection reports properly. Where a hospital discharge is planned, tell the council promptly, since those cases are handled faster. If someone is declining slowly, arranging an assessment now avoids a scramble later.

Which home care agencies work in Christchurch?

Sixteen agencies registered to deliver care at home appear on this page, each registered with the Care Quality Commission. They include Christchurch Care, Visiting Angels East Dorset and Agincare, alongside others covering the area. Every listing shows the provider name, the current CQC rating where one has been awarded and a link to the full profile. Coverage differs by address, so confirm that an agency visits the road concerned.

What should we ask a home care agency in Christchurch before committing?

Ask how many different carers will visit in a typical fortnight and whether you can meet them beforehand. Ask what happens when a carer is off sick, how late or missed visits are handled and who answers the telephone outside office hours. Check how the care plan is drawn up, how often it is reviewed and how medication support is recorded. Request the complete rate card in writing, covering weekend rates, travel charges and notice periods.

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

A care home provides accommodation with personal care, such as help with washing, dressing, meals and medication. A nursing home provides the same with registered nurses on duty at all hours for clinical care. Home care sits apart from both, since the support travels to the person and is paid for by the hour or the visit. Families often start with home care and consider residential options only when the hours needed become impractical.

Home Care in Christchurch

Christchurch has 16 CQC registered home care agencies. 12 are rated Good, 1 Outstanding, and 3 have not yet been rated. 9 of the 16 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Christchurch at a glance

What the local numbers say about home care in Christchurch, to help you judge the options below.

Hourly care visits, South West: £28.75 to £34.94 an hour. Middle half of prices from 10 agencies.
People aged 75 and over: 49,100. Rising to 55,700 by 2035, up 13%
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 6,400. Rising to 7,800 by 2035, up 21%
People aged 85 and over: 13,900. Rising to 19,900 by 2035, up 43%
Dementia diagnosis rate: 63%. The NHS ambition is 67%.
Agencies in the borough, last 12 months: 5 opened, 3 closed. 115 registered today.
Choice of agencies: 143 within 10 miles. In a typical neighbourhood. The nearest is under a mile away (0.4 miles).

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

Planning and paying for care at home in Christchurch

The first practical question is not which agency to use but how many hours are needed and who will meet the cost of them. An assessment answers the first and opens the door to the second.

Requesting a care needs assessment

An assessment is free, is not means tested and is open to anyone who appears to need care. It looks at the ordinary shape of a day: getting up, washing, dressing, preparing food, taking medication, moving safely about the house and coping alone in the evening. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council Adult Social Care carries out that assessment and the financial assessment that follows. The relative providing daily support can ask for a carer's assessment in their own right, which occasionally uncovers help the main assessment does not reach.

Rates, contributions and direct payments

Home care is charged by the hour or the visit, at higher rates on weekends and bank holidays and higher again where two carers are required. Where the financial assessment finds income, savings and capital below the national threshold, the council contributes towards the cost, and many people take that as a direct payment so they can choose their own agency. Above the threshold the arrangement is private. Ask for the full rate card in writing, including travel charges, minimum visit lengths and notice periods, and ask how quickly hours can be reduced again if someone recovers.

Choosing an agency in Christchurch and what to check

With no agency rated below Good, the useful distinctions have to be drawn from the reports themselves.

Reading a strong set of ratings

One agency here holds an Outstanding rating, twelve are rated Good and three carry no rating yet. Where an Outstanding grade appears, the report must justify it with evidence about leadership, responsiveness and the difference the service makes, and it is usually the most instructive reading on the list. For the Good ratings, look at what inspectors said about punctuality, staff supervision and medicines records rather than at the summary word. Unrated agencies are generally newly registered, so ask who runs them and where those people have worked before, and treat the absence of a grade as a gap in the evidence rather than a warning about the care.

Questions worth asking before signing

Ask how many different carers will visit over a fortnight and whether the same person covers most mornings. Ask what happens when a regular carer is ill, how late a visit may run before the office telephones, and who is reachable at the weekend. Ask how care plans are written and reviewed, whether you can meet the carers first, and how quickly a package can be increased after a spell in hospital. Ask as well how complaints are recorded and what was done about the most recent one. Ask whether the agency covers your part of Christchurch reliably rather than in principle, how travel time between visits is planned, and what it does when a carer is running late, because those answers show whether the rota is realistic or merely hopeful.

16 home care in Christchurch

Care · Unit B4 Aerodrome Studios, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 3TS
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Christchurch Care Limited
We at Christchurch Care are proud to offer compassionate home care across the welcoming coastal town of Christchurch, supporting individuals to live well within the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. As a dedicated home care...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Lordgrace Delight Healthcare-Dorset · 47 Basepoint Business Centre, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 6NX
Home care · Run by Lordgrace Delight Healthcare Limited
We at Lordgrace Delight Healthcare Dorset are proud to offer compassionate home care across Christchurch and the wider Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, supporting individuals to live well and safely in the place they know best:...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Eating Disorders
Visiting Angels East Dorset · Avonbank Studios, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 1EB
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Teddy Elder Care Limited
We at Visiting Angels East Dorset are proud to provide compassionate home care across Christchurch and the wider Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, supporting people to live safely and comfortably in the place they know and love...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Agincare UK · 181b Barrack Road, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 2AR
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Agincare UK Limited
We at Agincare UK Christchurch are proud to provide compassionate home care across Christchurch and the wider Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, supporting people to live safely and comfortably in the place they know best: their own...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Farmhouse Care Agency · Unit A32, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 3TS
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Farmhouse Care Agency Ltd
Farmhouse Care Agency provides care and support in people's own homes in Christchurch and the surrounding area. We visit older people, people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities, people living with sight or hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Altogether Care - Care At Home · 93 Bargates, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 1QQ
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Altogether Care - Care At Home Limited
Here at Altogether Care, we provide home care across Christchurch, Bournemouth and Poole, supporting people to live comfortably and independently in their own homes. We know how much it means to stay in familiar surroundings, and our role...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency · 6 Silver Business Park, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 3TA
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency supports people in their own homes in Christchurch and across the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area. We work with autistic adults and adults with a learning disability, people with physical...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Ethos Care · Unit 1, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 5HE
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Ethos Care Services Limited
We at Ethos Care are proud to provide compassionate home care across Christchurch, supporting individuals to live well and independently within the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. Serving the wider Bournemouth, Christchurch and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults
New Leaf Care Services · Aviation Business Park, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 6NW
Home care · Run by New Leaf Care Services Ltd
New Leaf Care provides support in people's own homes in Christchurch and the surrounding area. We work mainly with adults who have a learning disability and autistic adults, and with people living with sight or hearing loss. Younger adults...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Sylviancare Bournemouth and Poole · First Floor Offices Unit 30, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 6NX
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Silver Hellas Ltd
Sylviancare Bournemouth and Poole supports people in their own homes across Christchurch, Bournemouth, Poole and the area around them. We work with older people, people living with dementia, people living with mental ill health, adults...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Community Support Services East · Unit 1, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 6NW
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Autism Unlimited Limited
Community Support East is a home care agency based in Christchurch, supporting adults in their own homes and in the community. Most of our work is with adults who have a learning disability and with autistic adults, particularly younger...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults
Inter County Care · 23a, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 1QD
Home care · CQC Outstanding · Run by Inter County Care Limited
Inter County Care in Christchurch provides care and support in people's own homes in the town and the surrounding area. Most people would far rather stay where they are than move, and our work is to make that a safe and dependable...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Bloomfield Care BCP · Unit A31, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 3TS
Home care · Run by Bloomfield Care Ltd
Bloomfield Care BCP provides home care to adults in Christchurch and the surrounding area. We support older people and younger adults, people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities, and people who have sight or hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Alina Homecare · Suite 3, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 3TA
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Alina Homecare Services Limited
Alina Homecare in Christchurch provides care at home across the town and the surrounding area. We support older adults and younger adults, people living with dementia, and people with a physical disability. Our work happens in people's own...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Homelium Dorset · Office 8 Basepoint, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 6NX
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Homelium Care Limited
We at Homelium Dorset are proud to provide compassionate home care across Christchurch and the surrounding communities of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. As a dedicated home care agency, we bring professional support directly to the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Quality Care Dorset · 192 Somerford Road, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BH23 3QG
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Quality Care Dorset Ltd
Quality Care Dorset provides care and support in people's own homes in Christchurch and the surrounding area. Most people would far rather stay where they are than move, and our work is to make that a safe and dependable arrangement. We...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults

What home care costs

Type of care	What it costs
Hourly care visits, South West Middle half of prices from 10 agencies. Median £32.96. Shown for South West because too few Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole agencies publish a rate.	£28.75 to £34.94 an hour
What Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole pays Average hourly rate, October 2026.	£26.75 an hour
Homecare Association minimum price 2026 to 2027. The Association's estimate of the lowest price that covers the cost of delivering care. It is not a legal minimum.	£34.42 an hour
Live in care, England Middle half of prices from 62 agencies. Median £1,455.	£1,250 to £1,668 a week

Published prices come from agencies that publish rates, so treat them as a guide. Ask the agency for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.

Inspected most recently

Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency, 5 August 2026, Good
Altogether Care - Care At Home Limited Christchurch, 5 June 2025, Good
Homelium Dorset, 17 February 2025, Good

Longest since a report

Inter County Care - Christchurch, 17 January 2019, Outstanding
Alina Homecare - Christchurch, 22 July 2021, Good
Quality Care Dorset Ltd, 19 November 2021, Good

Frequently asked questions about home care in Christchurch

How many home care agencies are there in Christchurch?

Christchurch has 16 CQC registered home care agencies: 1 Outstanding, 12 Good, 3 not yet rated. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does home care cost in Christchurch?

Hourly care visits, South West: £28.75 to £34.94 an hour. Middle half of prices from 10 agencies. Median £32.96. Shown for South West because too few Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole agencies publish a rate. Published prices come from agencies that publish rates, so treat them as a guide. Ask the agency for its own price.

Which home care agencies in Christchurch were inspected most recently?

Dorset Domiciliary Care Agency (5 August 2026), Altogether Care - Care At Home Limited Christchurch (5 June 2025) and Homelium Dorset (17 February 2025) have the most recent CQC reports.