Private carers vs an introductory agency: what's actually different
Hiring a live-in carer privately looks cheaper on paper. Here's what that actually involves, and what an introductory agency like ours takes off your plate.
Search around for live-in care and you'll notice the rates for hiring someone privately — through a small ad, a Facebook group, or word of mouth — often look lower than going through an agency. It's a fair question to ask: what are you actually paying for with an agency, and is it worth it? The honest answer depends on how much of the work you want to do yourself.
What "hiring privately" actually means
When you hire a carer privately, you become their employer in every sense that matters. That means running your own DBS check, verifying references yourself, sorting out a contract, arranging insurance, and — this is the part people underestimate — finding cover the moment that carer is ill, wants a holiday, or simply doesn't work out. There's no backup, because there's no agency behind them. If it goes wrong, you're the one starting the search again from scratch, usually at the worst possible moment.
What an introductory agency does differently
We're what's known as an introductory agency — the Care Quality Commission's own term for it. We don't employ carers directly; they're self-employed, which is exactly the same footing as a privately-hired carer. The difference is everything that happens before you ever meet them. Every carer we introduce has already been through our own vetting: enhanced DBS checks, verified references, and an in-person meeting at our head office before they're ever put forward for a family. When we match a carer to your loved one, we're drawing on carers we already know and trust, not someone who answered an advert last week.
And if a carer becomes unwell, needs a break, or simply isn't the right fit, we have a replacement ready — because you're not the only safety net. That's really the core of it: with a private hire, you carry all of that risk yourself. With us, we carry a meaningful share of it.
Where the cost actually goes
Our fee isn't a markup on top of what the carer earns for nothing — it covers the vetting process itself, the ongoing matching and rematching if things change, a care manager who checks in rather than disappearing after the introduction, and the 24-hour care line included on our Specialist and Advanced plans. Whether that's worth it over the lower headline rate of a private hire really comes down to how much time, confidence, and backup you want built in. Some families are well placed to manage it themselves. Most, in our experience, are relieved not to have to.
A middle ground worth knowing about
It's also worth saying: choosing an agency doesn't mean giving up choice over who cares for your loved one. We introduce carers we think are a strong match, but you and your family have the final say, and if it's not right, we go back and try again. It's not a case of private hire meaning control and agency meaning none — you keep the choice either way. What changes is who's doing the work of getting you there, and who's there if something goes wrong afterwards.
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Leave your number and a care manager will call you back — usually within an hour, and always free.
- No obligation. A conversation, not a sales call — and never a call centre.
- A real care manager. Someone who arranges care every day, who can answer properly.
- Just two details. Your name and number — we don’t need an email address.
Or call us now on 0800 368 8558 Lines open 8am–10pm, seven days a week
Common questions
Questions families ask us most
The things people search for before they call us — answered plainly.
Not seeing your question?
Our care managers answer these every day. A no-obligation call takes about ten minutes.
0800 368 8558Lines open 8am–10pm, seven days a week See all questionsIs a carer from an agency employed by the agency?
No — like carers you'd find privately, ours are self-employed. As an introductory agency, we introduce you to a carer and you agree the arrangement directly with them, but we handle the vetting, matching and backup that a private hire wouldn't come with.
Can I still choose my own carer if I go through an agency?
Yes. We put forward carers we think are a good match based on your loved one's needs and personality, but the final decision is always yours, and we'll find someone else if the first match isn't right.
What happens if a privately-hired carer lets a family down at short notice?
That's the main risk of hiring privately — there's no backup built in, so the family has to find and vet a replacement themselves, often urgently. With an agency, a replacement carer is arranged as part of the service.
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