✧ Regional coverage
Live-in Care Across the North West
Greater Manchester up into Cumbria and the Lakes, including the villages where reliable visiting care is hardest to arrange.
- 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
- 72 areas Covered across the North West
Live-in care from Manchester to the Lakes
The North West takes in two great cities, a ring of mill and market towns, a long coastline and some of England's most remote countryside. Families searching for live-in care in the North West might be supporting a parent in Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton or Wigan, in a Cheshire village near Chester, on the Fylde coast around Blackpool, or in a Cumbrian valley an hour from the nearest town. Visiting care struggles at both extremes: stretched in the cities, and scarce in the fells. A carer who lives in the home works in either.
See our county pages for Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria.
Councils across the North West
Social care is run by a large number of councils. Greater Manchester has ten metropolitan boroughs and Merseyside five, each with its own adult social care team. Lancashire County Council covers most of Lancashire, with Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen separate. Cheshire is split between Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Warrington and Halton. Since 2023, Cumbria has been divided between Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council. Whichever applies, the needs assessment is free, and the council may contribute depending on savings.
Hospitals and discharge
Major hospitals include Manchester Royal Infirmary, Salford Royal, Wythenshawe, the Royal Liverpool, Aintree, Arrowe Park, the Royal Preston, the Royal Blackburn, Blackpool Victoria, the Countess of Chester, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. For Cumbrian families, specialist treatment can mean a long journey. A live-in carer arranged before discharge means your relative returns to support, and help with the follow-up appointments that come afterwards.
Close communities and couples at home
Across the North West's towns, many older people have lived on the same street for decades, near family and old friends. When one partner in a couple becomes the other's carer, the strain can be enormous. Live-in care supports both people at home for a single weekly fee and gives the caring partner time to rest. For someone living with dementia, staying in familiar surroundings with one consistent carer is often far less distressing than a move.
The region's industrial past also means many older residents live with long-term breathing or joint problems. Tell us about your relative's health and we will match carers with the right experience, including COPD care.
Short breaks for family carers
Many families across the North West are already caring for a parent themselves, fitting it around work and their own children. That can only go on for so long. Respite live-in care gives the family carer a proper break, whether for a holiday, an operation of their own or simply a rest, while their relative stays at home with a carer who follows the same routines. Short arrangements usually start from two weeks, and many families book them regularly through the year.
Short-term live-in care is also common after a hospital stay, while someone regains strength and confidence at home, and can be extended or ended as recovery allows.
What live-in care costs in the North West
Live-in care starts from £1,200 a week for one person, specialist care for complex needs from £1,300, and two carers for round-the-clock waking support from £2,600. The price is the same in Cheshire as in Cumbria, with no travel charges for rural homes. See our pricing and help with funding.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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 West
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
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Brenda
Live-in carer
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Patience
Live-in carer
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Monica
Live-in carer
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Refiloe
Live-in carer
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Gladys
Live-in carer
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Vistorine
Live-in carer
Coverage
Towns and cities we cover in the North West
We arrange live-in care in 72 areas across the North West.
Greater Manchester
Lancashire
Cheshire
Cumbria
Merseyside
Our services
Care services available in the North West
Free callback
Speak to someone about care in the North West
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 West
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 cover Cumbria and the Lake District?
Yes. Live-in care suits Cumbria particularly well, because the carer lives in rather than driving between remote calls. We cover Carlisle, Kendal, Penrith, Keswick, Barrow and the villages of the Lakes and the Eden valley at the same weekly price as the cities.
Which council handles care in Greater Manchester?
Each of the ten boroughs, such as Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Trafford, Bolton and Wigan, runs its own adult social care service. Contact the council for your relative's address to request a free needs assessment and, if you are a family carer, a carer's assessment.
How much is live-in care in Manchester or Liverpool?
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. The same prices apply across the North West, and one carer can support a couple for a single fee.
Can live-in care start quickly after a stay in a North West hospital?
Usually. Most placements begin within a week, and for urgent discharges from hospitals such as Salford Royal, Aintree or the Royal Preston we can often introduce a carer within 24 to 48 hours. Let us know the expected discharge date as early as possible.
What happened to Cumbria County Council?
It was replaced in April 2023 by two unitary councils. Cumberland Council covers Carlisle, Allerdale and Copeland, and Westmorland and Furness Council covers Kendal, Penrith, Barrow and the south of the county. Either can carry out a free needs assessment.
Do your North West carers work for you?
No. We are an introductory agency: we recruit, check and match self-employed live-in carers, and you choose who supports your relative. You agree the arrangement with the carer directly, and we provide support, replacements and cover for breaks.
How many care homes are there in the North West?
Our care-home directory lists 1,890 registered care homes in the North West, each with its own page, and 1,334 of them are rated Good or Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Together they have around 59,900 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.