VerifiedNicholson House is a home care agency run by Clece Care Services, based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
Fees on request
Home care in South East England – page 35
2,220 agencies
Free, independent advice from Janet, Claire and the AskBart teamHow we check our information
There are 2,220 home care agencies in South East England on AskBart. 86% of those rated by the CQC are Good or Outstanding, against 79% nationally (CQC data, October 2026). The largest is Care & Carers - Buckinghamshire, with 15 beds. The most recent inspection was at Cardea Healthcare – Berkshire in November 2023.
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Berkshire263Buckinghamshire264East Sussex138Hampshire400Isle of Wight28Kent453Oxfordshire162Portsmouth58Surrey266West Sussex189Type of care
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2,220 agencies
VerifiedVerifiedNightingale Services is a home care agency operated by Kare Plus, based in Newport Pagnell, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
Fees on request
VerifiedNightingales (Chichester) is a home care agency based in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.
Fees on request
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VerifiedCQC Outstanding
No Place Like Home is a home care agency based in Faversham, Kent, providing care and support in people's own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedNomase Supported Limited is a home care agency based in Dartford, Kent.
Fees on request
VerifiedNoubles Healthcare is a home care agency based in Newbury, West Berkshire.
Fees on request
VerifiedNurse Plus UK - Ashford is a home care agency based in Ashford, Kent, providing care and support to people in their own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedCQC Good
Nurse Plus UK - Dover is a home care agency based in Dover, Kent, providing care and support to people in their own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedCQC Good
Nurse Plus UK - Hastings is a home care agency based in Hastings, East Sussex, providing care and support in people's own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedNurse Plus UK - Maidstone is a home care agency based in Maidstone, Kent, providing care and support to people in their own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedNurse Plus UK - Southampton is a home care agency based in Southampton, Hampshire, delivering care and support in people's own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedNurseplus - Crawley is a home care agency run by Nurse Plus & Carer Plus (UK) Limited.
Fees on request
VerifiedNurseplus UK – Andover is a home care agency based in Andover, Hampshire, providing care and support in people's own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedCQC Good
Nurseplus UK - Gosport is a home care agency based in Gosport, Hampshire, run by Nurse Plus & Carer Plus (UK) Limited.
Fees on request
VerifiedNurturing Nest Office is a home care agency based in Reading, Berkshire, providing care and support in people's own homes.
Fees on request
VerifiedCQC Good
OSJCT Isis Court is a home care agency run by Orders of St John Care Trust, based in Donnington, Oxfordshire.
Fees on request
VerifiedCQC Good
OSJCT Moorside Place is a home care agency run by Orders of St John Care Trust, based in Kidlington, Oxfordshire.
Fees on request
VerifiedCQC Good
OSJCT Orchard Meadows is a home care agency run by Orders of St John Care Trust and based in Banbury, Cherwell, Oxfordshire.
Fees on request
VerifiedOne Step South Domiciliary Care Agency is a home care provider based in Folkestone, Kent.
Fees on request
VerifiedOneCare Southampton Head Office is a home care agency based in Southampton, Hampshire.
Fees on request
Key facts: South East England
| Home care agencies listed | 2,220 |
|---|---|
| Rated Good or Outstanding | 1065 of 1237 (86%) |
| Rated Outstanding | 67 |
| Rated Requires improvement or Inadequate | 172 |
| Largest | Care & Carers - Buckinghamshire (15 beds) |
| Most recently inspected | Cardea Healthcare – Berkshire (November 2023) |
Outstanding67
Good998
Requires improvement164
Inadequate8
Not yet rated983
Data: CQC register, updated October 2026. Figures are for the homes listed on this page.
Not sure how much care is needed?
Answer a few questions and we’ll estimate the hours a week, a visit schedule and a rough cost for care at home in South East England — in about a minute.
Care agency vs a private carer in South East England
A private or introductory-agency carer often charges less per hour than a CQC-regulated agency — but the difference pays for cover, vetting and the legal responsibilities the agency carries for you. Here’s how the two compare.
| CQC-regulated agency | Private / introductory carer | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulation | Registered with and inspected by the CQC — a published rating on every profile | Not inspected — an individual carer is not CQC-regulated |
| If your carer is off sick | The agency sends a replacement, so care never stops | You have to arrange emergency cover yourself |
| Employment & tax | The agency employs the carer — pay, tax, pension and insurance are handled for you | You may become the carer’s legal employer, with HMRC, pension and insurance duties |
| Training, DBS & insurance | Carers are trained, DBS-checked and covered by the agency’s insurance | You check training, references and DBS yourself |
| Typical hourly rate | £22–£28 per hour | £15–£19 per hour |
The higher agency rate buys the cover, training and liability an agency carries for you — the reassurance most families want when arranging care for a parent. Every agency listed on this page is registered with the CQC.
Rates are typical UK ranges, not local quotes, and vary by provider, timing and the level of care. Employing a carer directly makes you their employer — check your responsibilities on GOV.UK.
The true cost of care at home vs a care home in South East England
Families often compare a care-home fee to home-care hours alone — but a care home already includes the room, meals and bills, while staying at home means paying for those on top of the care. Adjust the figures for an illustrative weekly and yearly comparison, and see where a care home becomes the cheaper choice.
Care home (£/week)
Household costs total £173/week. Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit (2026/27 rates £76.70 lower / £114.60 higher per week — check the current rate); it is usually payable whether you stay at home or self-fund a care home, so it is applied to every option below.
Home-care visits
35 hrs/week × £23
£978/wk
£50,856/year
£805 care + £173 bills
Lowest total cost
Live-in care
one carer, living with you
£1,573/wk
£81,796/year
£1,400 care + £173 bills
Residential care home
room, meals & bills included
£1,200/wk
£62,400/year
Where it changes over
Once the £173/week of household bills are counted, staying at home works out cheaper only up to about 45 hours of care a week. Beyond that, a residential care home — where the bills are already included — usually costs less.
A guide, not a quote
Every figure is an editable estimate. Household bills vary by home and circumstances; live-in care may need two carers for high or overnight needs; and the right choice depends on the level of care needed, not just the total. Always get real quotes and a care-needs assessment before deciding.
Illustrative only — a transparent model, not a quote. See who should pay towards care in our care funding & means-test calculator, or ask Bart.
Support for staying at home in South East England
Care at home works best alongside local health services, grants and carer support. These are the main routes to help — home adaptations are administered by Kent council.
Home adaptations & grants
Grab rails, stairlifts and level-access showers can be part-funded by a Disabled Facilities Grant — the practical changes that let care at home succeed.
Disabled Facilities GrantHelp paying for care
Attendance Allowance is a non-means-tested benefit that helps with the cost of care at home for people over State Pension age.
Attendance AllowanceDistrict nursing & community health
NHS community teams visit at home for wound care, medication support and ongoing conditions, alongside your care agency.
NHS care & supportSupport for family carers
Advice, a carer’s assessment, respite and local support groups for relatives who help with care.
Carers UK advicePrescription delivery
Local pharmacies can prepare weekly blister packs (dosette boxes) and deliver medicines to the door.
Find a pharmacyLinks open official NHS, GOV.UK and national charity services that localise to your postcode. AskBart is independent and isn’t affiliated with these organisations.
Weighing up your options in South East England?
Care needs change over time. Compare the other kinds of later-life care in South East England:
Guides for families
- Care Home or Home Care? Pros and Cons (2026)
- Live-in Care Explained: the Alternative to a Care Home
- How Much Does A Carer Cost - The Ultimate Guide In 2025!
More in our home care guides.