✧ Regional coverage
Live-in Care in the North East of England
Teesside to the Northumberland coast. For couples, one live-in carer can support both people at home — no separation, one fee.
- Care within a week Urgent starts often in 24–48 hours
- From £1,200 a week The same rate nationwide, not by postcode
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) Regulates home care in England
- 36 areas Covered across the North East
Live-in care across the North East of England
The North East runs from the Scottish border and the Northumberland coast down through Tyneside and Wearside to County Durham and Teesside. Families searching for live-in care in the North East are supporting parents in Newcastle, Sunderland, Gateshead, Durham, Darlington and Middlesbrough, in former pit villages across the Durham coalfield, and in remote farms and hamlets in Northumberland. A carer who lives in the home can support them day and night, wherever that is.
Our area pages cover Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Northumberland, with more than thirty town pages below.
Councils in the North East
The North East has twelve councils responsible for adult social care: Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Sunderland in Tyne and Wear; Northumberland County Council and Durham County Council, both unitary; and Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees around the Tees Valley. Each offers a free needs assessment and a carer's assessment, and may contribute depending on savings.
North East hospitals and coming home
Hospital care is provided by several trusts, including the Royal Victoria Infirmary and the Freeman in Newcastle, the Queen Elizabeth in Gateshead, Sunderland Royal, South Tyneside District, the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital at Cramlington, the University Hospital of North Durham, Darlington Memorial, James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and the University Hospital of North Tees. Wherever your relative is admitted, a live-in carer can be ready for discharge day.
Close-knit towns and long-term health
Many older people in the region have lived in the same street for most of their lives, surrounded by family, neighbours and old workmates. Live-in care keeps them there. The legacy of mining, shipbuilding and heavy industry also means many live with breathing or joint problems, such as COPD; tell us about your relative's health and we will match a carer with the right experience.
In rural Northumberland and the Durham Dales, the issue is distance. Visiting care rounds can involve long drives, and winter weather can cancel calls. A live-in carer removes the travel entirely, and one who drives can help with appointments and shopping.
Short-term care and a break for family carers
In the North East, a great deal of care is provided by family: a daughter calling in every day, or a husband caring for his wife around the clock. That can only go on for so long. Respite live-in care gives the family carer a genuine break, whether for a holiday, their own hospital treatment or simply rest, while their relative stays at home with a carer who follows the same routines. Arrangements usually start from two weeks.
Short-term live-in care also works well after an operation or a hospital stay, while someone regains strength and confidence, and can be extended or ended as recovery allows. You choose the carer from profiles and a video call either way.
What live-in care costs in the North East
Live-in care starts from £1,200 a week for one person, specialist care from £1,300 and two carers for round-the-clock support from £2,600. The price is the same in Newcastle as in the Cheviots, and one carer can support a couple for a single fee. See our pricing, funding help and respite care for family carers who need a break.
What you get
What a live-in carer does
Being straight about the boundaries saves everyone a difficult conversation later.
Included in the weekly fee
- Personal care — washing, dressing, continence support
- Medication prompting and administration
- Cooking, meal preparation and special diets
- Light housework, laundry and changing beds
- Shopping, errands and prescription collection
- Getting to appointments and social visits
- Companionship, conversation and daily routine
- Mobility support, transfers and falls prevention
- Pet care — walks, feeding, vet trips
- A named care manager and 24/7 office support
Not included
- Nursing tasks requiring a registered nurse (district nurses continue to visit)
- The carer's food — the household provides everyday meals
- Household bills, rent or council tax on the carer's behalf
- Two-person handling where a hoist requires two carers (that is our Advanced plan)
Weighing the options
Live-in care, visiting care or a care home?
The three choices most families are deciding between.
| Feature | Live-in care | Visiting care | Care home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stays in their own home | Yes | Yes | No |
| Support through the night | Yes | Rarely | Yes |
| The same carer each day | Yes | Rota of staff | Rota of staff |
| Keeps pets and belongings | Yes | Yes | Usually not |
| Couples stay together | Yes | Yes | Often separated |
| Typical cost | £1,200 a week | Varies with hours | Varies by home |
Visiting care and care home costs vary widely by area and provider, so we don’t quote figures we can’t stand behind. See our pricing in full →
How it works
How arranging live-in care works
Three steps, and the first one is just a conversation.
-
1
Tell us what you need
A friendly, no-obligation call to understand the situation, explain how the care works and give you an estimated weekly cost.
-
2
Choose your carer
We send profiles of available carers matched to your needs. You can speak to them on a video call before deciding.
-
3
Care begins at home
Your carer moves in and support starts, with a named care manager checking in regularly to make sure it's working.
Funding & regulation
Paying for care in England
Home care is regulated and funded differently in each nation, so the route is not the same everywhere. Here is how it works where you live.
Read our full funding guide →Who regulates care here
Home care in England is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). They inspect and register home care services to make sure standards are met.
Where funding comes from
Apply through your local authority's adult social care team. Means-tested local authority funding and NHS Continuing Healthcare are both available depending on assessed need.
How we fit in
Live-in Care Direct is an introductory agency. We introduce self-employed carers to families rather than employing them, so you contract directly with your carer and keep the choice of who provides your care.
Our carers
The carers who could support you in the North East
Our carers are spread across the UK, supported by regional care managers. Every one is interviewed in person, enhanced DBS checked and reference-checked before they are ever introduced to a family — and you choose who moves in.
- Interviewed face to face, never hired on paperwork alone
- Enhanced DBS checked, with references verified
- You meet and approve your carer before they start
-
Gladys
Live-in carer
-
Refiloe
Live-in carer
-
Monica
Live-in carer
-
Brenda
Live-in carer
-
Patience
Live-in carer
-
Vistorine
Live-in carer
Coverage
Towns and cities we cover in the North East
We arrange live-in care in 36 areas across the North East.
Tyne and Wear
County Durham
Northumberland
Teesside
North Yorkshire
Our services
Care services available in the North East
Free callback
Speak to someone about care in the North East
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
Live-in care in the North East
Local answers on timing, regulation and funding.
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 questionsDo you provide live-in care in Newcastle and Sunderland?
Yes. We arrange live-in carers across Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland, North and South Tyneside, and throughout County Durham, Northumberland and Teesside. Most placements begin within a week of your first call.
Do you cover rural Northumberland?
Yes. Northumberland is exactly where live-in care works best, because the carer lives in the home rather than driving between scattered visits. We cover Alnwick, Hexham, Morpeth, Berwick and the rural villages at the same weekly price.
Which council handles care in County Durham?
Durham County Council is a unitary authority and runs adult social care across the county, apart from Darlington, which has its own council. Ask Durham County Council for a free needs assessment and, if you are a family carer, a carer's assessment.
How much is live-in care in the North East?
From £1,200 a week for standard live-in care, £1,300 for specialist care and £2,600 for two carers providing round-the-clock support. There are no extra charges for rural homes, and one carer can support a couple.
Can a live-in carer support someone with COPD?
Yes. Many of our carers have experience of breathlessness, inhalers, home oxygen and the routines that help people with COPD stay well at home. Tell us about your relative's condition when we match, and the carer will follow the advice of their respiratory team.
How quickly can care start after a stay at the RVI or James Cook?
Most placements start within a week, and for urgent hospital discharges we can often introduce a carer within 24 to 48 hours. Tell us the ward and the expected discharge date as soon as you can.
How many care homes are there in the North East?
Our care-home directory lists 463 registered care homes in the North East, each with its own page, and 378 of them are rated Good or Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Together they have around 20,700 beds. Live-in care is the alternative for anyone who would rather stay in their own home: one carer moves in, and couples can stay together.