How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Hove?

Contact the adult social care team at Brighton and Hove City Council and ask for a care needs assessment. A GP, district nurse or hospital discharge team can also refer if that is easier. The assessment is free and is not means tested, so there is no reason to delay while finances are worked out. Note down specific recent examples of difficulty beforehand, since these are far more useful to an assessor than a general sense of decline.

Can Brighton and Hove City Council pay for home care in Hove?

It can, subject to a needs assessment showing eligible needs and a financial assessment of income and capital. Support may be commissioned by the council or paid as a direct payment so that you choose the agency yourself. Most people who qualify still contribute something from their income. Where savings sit above the national threshold the care is self funded, but the council still owes an assessment and impartial advice.

Which providers in Hove offer home care?

Twenty two providers match this search, all registered with the Care Quality Commission to deliver personal care in people's own homes. The list runs from national brands to small independent offices, and each has a profile here showing its rating and registration details. Agencies cover areas by postcode rather than by town boundary, so check that a provider actually visits the address concerned. Shortlist a few and read their inspection reports before telephoning.

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

A residential care home provides accommodation along with help from care staff for washing, dressing, meals and company. A nursing home offers the same and also keeps a registered nurse on duty at every hour for clinical needs such as complex wounds, tube feeding or advanced frailty. The registration category held with the Care Quality Commission shows which a setting is. Home care differs from both, because the support comes to the person instead of the person moving.

How far in advance should I start looking for home care?

Sooner than feels necessary is the honest answer. Assessments, financial checks and the agency's own assessment visit each take time, and the most sought after call slots such as early mornings fill quickly. A few weeks of lead time turns a scramble into an ordinary decision. Where the need follows a hospital discharge everything compresses, so say so when you first ring the council and ask what interim support is available.

What should I ask when a home care agency comes to assess?

Ask who will actually carry out the visits, how continuity of carers is protected and what happens when someone is off sick. Find out how medication is recorded, how the office is reached outside working hours and how quickly a package can be increased after a hospital stay. Ask for the charges in writing, including travel, cancellation terms and weekend rates. Finally, ask how complaints are handled and how often the care plan is reviewed.

Home Care in Hove

Hove has 22 CQC registered home care agencies. 12 are rated Good, 2 Requires improvement, and 8 have not yet been rated. 10 of the 22 were last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Hove at a glance

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

Hourly care visits, South East: £28.00 to £36.96 an hour. Middle half of prices from 24 agencies.
People aged 75 and over: 20,100. Rising to 23,200 by 2035, up 16%
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 2,700. Rising to 3,300 by 2035, up 22%
People aged 85 and over: 5,600. Rising to 7,600 by 2035, up 37%
Dementia diagnosis rate: 66%. The NHS ambition is 67%.
Agencies in the borough, last 12 months: 1 opened, 3 closed. 41 registered today.
Choice of agencies: 80 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.

Arranging and funding care at home in Hove

The care needs assessment

A care needs assessment is free, open to anyone who appears to need support whatever their savings, and normally carried out at home. A practitioner looks at mobility, washing and dressing, meals, medication, memory and how safely someone manages overnight, then records in writing what level of support is needed. Ask for a copy of that record, because it becomes the reference point for everything afterwards. A relative who provides regular unpaid help is entitled to a separate carer's assessment of their own, which is easy to overlook and often valuable.

Who pays for the visits

Help with the cost is decided separately through a financial assessment of income and capital. Brighton and Hove City Council is the authority responsible for both assessments in this area and for arranging funded support where someone is eligible, and it can either commission the care itself or make a direct payment so that a family chooses its own agency. Above the capital threshold the package is self funded, though the assessment and the impartial advice attached to it remain available and are worth using.

What a package of visits costs

Home care is charged by the hour or by the visit, so the weekly total turns entirely on how often carers come and for how long. Very short calls often carry a higher hourly rate, and nights, weekends and bank holidays usually cost more. Ask for a written schedule of charges covering travel, cancellations and rising need, confirm how much notice is given before rates change, and check whether a minimum number of hours applies each week.

Choosing the right agency in Hove and what to look for

Reliability above everything

Families judge an agency on whether carers turn up when they said they would and whether it is the same handful of faces each week. Ask how many different carers would attend across a fortnight, what happens when the regular carer is off sick, and how late a call has to run before the office telephones. Ask how visits are recorded and whether relatives can see those records. An agency that answers plainly, without reaching for reassurance, is usually the one still arriving on time months later.

Reading the ratings on this list

Twelve agencies here are rated Good and two have been told they Require Improvement, with eight not yet rated. A large unrated group is ordinary in home care, where new agencies register regularly and then wait some time for a first inspection, so an absent rating is not a warning in itself. Where a report exists, read the safe and well led sections closely and note when inspectors visited. Where an agency has been asked to improve, ask what it has done since.

Fitting the visits around the day

Timing matters as much as the tasks themselves. A morning call that reliably arrives at half past ten is little use to someone who needs help getting up, and a fifteen minute visit is not long enough for a proper breakfast. Ask whether the agency will commit to a time window, whether it covers weekends and bank holidays, and how quickly a package can be increased if someone returns from hospital needing more support.

22 home care in Hove

London Care - Brighton · Unit E13, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7GS
Home care · CQC Good · Run by London Care Limited
London Care in Brighton and Hove supports people in their own homes across the city. We work with older people, people living with dementia, people living with mental ill health, adults with a physical disability, people with visual or...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
At Home · 3 Rutland Gardens, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 5PA
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Possability People Limited
We are a home care agency in Hove, supporting people across Brighton and Hove in their own homes. Some of those we visit need half an hour in the morning to get the day started safely. Others need us several times a day, every day. Both...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Hanover Care · 71 Church Road, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2BB
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Hanover Care Limited
Hanover Care provides care and support to people in their own homes in Hove and the surrounding area. Home care is what we do and the only thing we do. People come to us because they want to carry on living where they are, with their own...
Certain Care · 7 Goldstone Road, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 3RN
Home care · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Certain Care Ltd
Certain Care provides care and support in people's own homes across Hove and the surrounding area. We work with older adults, younger adults, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults, people with...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
Renaissance Personnel (Brighton &) · Office 11, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2DL
Home care · Run by Renaissance Personnel Limited
Renaissance Personnel provides care at home for people in Hove and Brighton. What we do is straightforward, and we would rather describe it plainly than dress it up: reliable, respectful help in the place where somebody already lives, for...
Hova House · 1 Hova Villas, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 3DH
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Rapid Sussex care company Limited
Hova House provides care at home to adults in Hove and across Brighton and Hove. We visit older people who need help to keep living in their own houses, adults living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and younger adults who...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
The Private Care Company · Second and Third Floor Offices, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2AF
Home care · CQC Good · Run by The Private Care Company Limited
The Private Care Company provides care at home to adults in Hove and across Brighton and Hove. We support older people who want to carry on living in their own houses, adults living with dementia, adults with a learning disability,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults
Kingsway Care · 22 Victoria Terrace, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2WB
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Kingsway Care Ltd
We at Kingsway Care are proud to offer trusted home care across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting people to live safely, comfortably and independently within the familiar surroundings of their own homes. Rather than...
Specialisms: Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability
Coastal Homecare · 78 Goldstone Villas, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 3RU
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Coastal Homecare (Hove) Limited
We provide care at home in Hove and the surrounding area. The people we support include older people and younger adults, people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, autistic people, people with mental health conditions,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Meemanda Rose Homecare · The Knoll Business Centre, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7GS
Home care · Run by Meemanda Rose Homecare Limited
Meemanda Rose Homecare supports people across Hove and the surrounding area in their own homes. Our work covers a wide range of needs, and we plan each person's support around their own routines rather than around a standard schedule. We...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Eating Disorders, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
Casgo Care · 60 Lansdowne Place, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 1FG
Home care · Run by Casgo Connections Limited
At Casgo Care, we provide home care support to people living in Hove and across Brighton and Hove, helping individuals stay comfortable, independent and well looked after in their own homes. That matters to us deeply, because we know how...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
Compass Homecare Brighton · Office 2, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 4EL
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Compass Homecare Ltd
We at Compass Homecare Brighton and Hove are proud to provide compassionate home care across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting people to live well and safely in the comfort of their own homes. Based in the BN postcode...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
P&D Healthcare · Unit 11, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2DL
Home care · Run by P&D Healthcare Ltd
P&D Healthcare provides care in people's own homes in Hove and the surrounding area. We support older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people with a visual or hearing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Martlets Hospice · Wayfield Avenue, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7LW
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Southern Hospice Group Home Care Ltd
We are Martlets, based in Hove and providing care and support to people in their own homes across the city and the surrounding area. We work with older people and people living with dementia, people with a physical disability or a visual...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Eating Disorders
DBAGZ SOLUTIONS - BRIGHTON · Knoll Business Centre 325-327, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7GS
Home care · CQC Good · Run by DBAGZ Solutions Ltd
We at DBAGZ Solutions Brighton are proud to provide compassionate home care to individuals and families across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove community. As a dedicated home care agency, we bring professional support directly into the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults
Bluebird Care (Brighton &) · 98 Boundary Road, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7GB
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Rampion Limited
Here at Bluebird Care Brighton & Hove, we provide home care to people living in Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting individuals to remain in the place they know best — their own home. We work with older people, younger...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults
Bright Care East Sussex · 67 Church Road, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 2BD
Home care · Run by Bright Care at Home Ltd
We at Bright Care East Sussex are proud to offer trusted home care across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, bringing compassionate support directly into the homes of older people who wish to remain where they feel most...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care
Advantage Healthcare - South Coast · Unit E3, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7GS
Home care · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Advantage Healthcare Limited
We at Advantage Healthcare South Coast are a dedicated home care agency proudly supporting individuals across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area. Our mission is to help people live safely, comfortably, and with dignity in the place...
Embark · 4 Ivy Place, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 1AP
Home care · CQC Good · Run by Embark Ltd
Here at Embark, we provide home care to people living in Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting individuals to live as independently as possible in the comfort of their own homes. We work with a range of people, including...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Ainscough Associates · 57 Newtown Road, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7BA
Home care · Run by Ainscough Associates Limited
We at Ainscough Associates are proud to provide home care across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting individuals to live well and safely within the comfort of their own homes. Based in the BN postcode area on the vibrant...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults
Breeze Homecare · Unit 12, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 4EE
Home care · Run by A-Team Care Ltd
We at Breeze Homecare are proud to offer compassionate home care across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting people to live well in the comfort and familiarity of their own homes. As a dedicated home care agency serving...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults
Esquisite Care UK · Unit P6, Hove, Brighton and Hove, BN3 7GS
Home care · Run by Esquisite Care UK Ltd
We at Esquisite Care UK are proud to offer compassionate home care across Hove and the wider Brighton and Hove area, supporting individuals to live well and safely within the comfort of their own homes. Based in the heart of the BN...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults

What home care costs

Type of care	What it costs
Hourly care visits, South East Middle half of prices from 24 agencies. Median £32.92. Shown for South East because too few Brighton and Hove agencies publish a rate.	£28.00 to £36.96 an hour
What Brighton and Hove pays Average hourly rate, October 2026.	£23.73 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

The Private Care Company, 22 May 2026, Good
Coastal Homecare (Hove) Limited, 21 May 2026, Good
London Care - Brighton, 27 February 2026, Good

Longest since a report

Hanover Care Limited, 27 March 2018, Good
At Home, 9 May 2018, Good
Certain Care Ltd, 26 July 2018, Requires improvement

Frequently asked questions about home care in Hove

How many home care agencies are there in Hove?

Hove has 22 CQC registered home care agencies: 12 Good, 2 Requires improvement, 8 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 Hove?

Hourly care visits, South East: £28.00 to £36.96 an hour. Middle half of prices from 24 agencies. Median £32.92. Shown for South East because too few Brighton and Hove 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 Hove were inspected most recently?

The Private Care Company (22 May 2026), Coastal Homecare (Hove) Limited (21 May 2026) and London Care - Brighton (27 February 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.