✧ Regional coverage
Live-in Care in Northern Ireland
Belfast to the north coast and across the six counties — one dedicated carer living in, with need assessed and funded separately through your local HSC Trust.
- Care within a week Urgent starts often in 24–48 hours
- From £1,200 a week The same rate nationwide, not by postcode
- Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) Regulates home care in Northern Ireland
- 35 areas Covered across Northern Ireland
Live-in care across the six counties
From Belfast and Lisburn to Londonderry, Newry, Armagh, Enniskillen and the north coast, families across Northern Ireland are looking for ways to keep a parent at home as their needs grow. Searching for live-in care in Northern Ireland usually means wanting more than a few short visits a day: someone in the house, help at any hour and genuine company. A live-in carer moves in and provides exactly that, whether the home is a terrace in Belfast or a farmhouse in County Tyrone.
We arrange live-in carers across all six counties, including live-in care in Belfast, Londonderry, Armagh, County Down and County Antrim.
Health and Social Care Trusts, not councils
Northern Ireland organises care differently from the rest of the UK. Councils do not run social services. Instead, health and social care are provided together by five Health and Social Care Trusts: Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern and Western. Your relative's Trust carries out the care assessment, usually through a social worker, and arranges any support it provides, which can include direct payments. Ask your relative's GP or the Trust to start the process. Care services are regulated by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA).
Self Directed Support and direct payments
Trusts in Northern Ireland offer Self Directed Support, which gives people more choice and control over how their assessed care is arranged, including through direct payments. Whether it can go towards a live-in arrangement depends on the assessment and the Trust, so ask the social worker about the options. Many families also pay privately for live-in care, either on its own or alongside Trust-arranged support, because it provides the evening, overnight and weekend presence that short visits cannot. We can explain how our introductory model works alongside Trust support.
Hospitals and discharge in Northern Ireland
Main hospitals include the Royal Victoria, Belfast City and the Mater in Belfast, the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, Antrim Area, Causeway in Coleraine, Craigavon Area, Daisy Hill in Newry, Altnagelvin in Londonderry and the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen. Waiting for a home care package is a well-known cause of delayed discharge. A live-in carer arranged privately can often be in place within days, so your relative can come home as soon as they are medically ready.
Families at a distance
Many Northern Ireland families have sons and daughters in Great Britain, the Republic or further afield. When a parent's health changes, the family may be hours away. A live-in carer gives daily company and practical help, notices changes early, and can keep you informed in whatever way suits you. For rural homes in Fermanagh, Tyrone or the Glens of Antrim, where visiting care is thinly spread, a carer who lives in, and drives if needed, keeps your relative connected to church, shops and neighbours.
Couples can stay together too, with one carer supporting both for a single fee.
What live-in care costs in Northern Ireland
Live-in care starts from £1,200 a week for one person, specialist care for more complex needs from £1,300, and two carers for round-the-clock support from £2,600. It is the same price across all six counties. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested and can help with the cost. See our pricing, dementia care at home and respite care.
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 Northern Ireland
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 Northern Ireland is regulated by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). They inspect and register home care services to make sure standards are met.
Where funding comes from
Apply through your local Health and Social Care (HSC) Trust. Care is arranged and part-funded through the local Health and Social Care Trust, a different structure from local-authority-led funding in England.
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 Northern Ireland
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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Patience
Live-in carer
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Vistorine
Live-in carer
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Gladys
Live-in carer
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Brenda
Live-in carer
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Monica
Live-in carer
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Refiloe
Live-in carer
Coverage
Towns and cities we cover in Northern Ireland
We arrange live-in care in 35 areas across Northern Ireland.
Belfast and County Antrim
County Down
Tyrone and Fermanagh
County Armagh
County Londonderry
Our services
Care services available in Northern Ireland
Free callback
Speak to someone about care in Northern Ireland
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 Northern Ireland
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 questionsWho assesses care needs in Northern Ireland?
Your relative's Health and Social Care Trust, not the council. There are five Trusts: Belfast, Northern, South Eastern, Southern and Western. Ask the GP or the Trust's social work team for an assessment of care needs.
Do you provide live-in carers in Belfast?
Yes. We arrange live-in care across Belfast, from Malone and Stranmillis to Belmont, Knock and north and west Belfast, as well as in Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Holywood and Bangor. Most placements start within a week of the first call.
Who regulates home care in Northern Ireland?
The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). Live-in Care Direct is an introductory agency: we introduce checked, self-employed carers rather than employing them, so you choose the carer and agree the arrangement directly, with our support throughout.
Do you cover rural Northern Ireland?
Yes, including Fermanagh, Tyrone, the Sperrins, the Mournes and the Glens of Antrim. Because the carer lives in rather than travelling between visits, rural homes are covered at the same weekly price, and we can match carers who drive.
How much does live-in care cost in Northern Ireland?
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 fee is the same across Northern Ireland, and one carer can support a couple.
Can live-in care start quickly after a hospital stay in Northern Ireland?
Usually, yes. Tell us the hospital and expected discharge date as early as possible. Most placements begin within a week, and in urgent cases we can often introduce a carer within 24 to 48 hours.
How many care homes are there in Northern Ireland?
Our care-home directory lists 305 registered care homes in Northern Ireland, each with its own page. Care homes here are registered with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). 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.