Small home care agency for older people
Run a small, regulated team of carers who support older people with personal care in their own homes.
- £10k-40k
- Full-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
11,112 UK companies in this field, 32% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 88100 “Social work activities without accommodation for the elderly and disabled”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
A registered domiciliary care service where trained carers visit older people to help with washing, dressing, meals, medication prompts and daily living. You manage the rota, quality and compliance, often while still doing some care yourself.
Your first three steps
- Check the regulator for your nation (CQC in England) and read its registration guidance, including the registered manager requirements
- Write a business plan with realistic cash flow, as you pay carers before clients or councils pay you
- Get quotes for insurance and care management software, and start drafting your policies, training plan and recruitment process
Who pays
Local councils or NHS commissioners, people using direct payments or personal budgets, and families paying privately.
How it makes money
Hourly or per-visit charges for care delivered, with a margin after paying carers, mileage, insurance and office costs. Private clients usually pay more per hour than council contracts.
Skills that help
- Care experience, ideally with a leadership or management background
- Rota planning and organisation
- Recruiting and supervising staff
- Record keeping and compliance
Watch out for
- Personal care is generally regulated, so check registration needs and timescales with your nation's regulator before taking clients
- Employer's liability, public liability and other insurance suited to care work
- Safe recruitment, DBS checks, training, and employment law including minimum wage and travel time
- Council contracts can pay slowly or at low rates, so check your cash flow
- Heavy responsibility for client safety, and inspections that can affect your ability to trade
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: small home care agency for older people
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a home care agency?
Startup costs are estimated at typically around £10,000 to £40,000, depending on the size of your team, your insurance and how you set up your systems. Check your cash flow too, as council contracts can pay slowly or at low rates.
How much revenue can a small home care agency make?
Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around £4,000 to £20,000, depending on how many clients and care hours you take on and whether you work with councils or private clients. These are estimates, not guarantees.
Do I need to be registered to run a home care agency?
Personal care is generally regulated, so check registration needs and timescales with your nation's regulator before taking clients. Also check insurance suited to care work, plus safe recruitment, DBS checks, training and employment law, including minimum wage and travel time.
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