✧ Live-in care in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Live-in Care in Belfast
Live-in care in Belfast lets your relative stay at home, in Malone, Stranmillis, Belmont, Knock or Finaghy, with one carer living alongside them. We arrange home care across the city and the surrounding area, from £1,200 a week.
- 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
Home care across Belfast
Families searching for home care in Belfast are supporting parents in every part of the city: in south Belfast around Malone, Stranmillis, the Lisburn Road and Finaghy; in east Belfast in Belmont, Knock, Cherryvalley and along the Newtownards Road; in north Belfast around the Antrim Road and Cavehill; and in west Belfast. Many older people have lived in the same street all their lives, close to church, family and neighbours. A carer who lives in lets them stay part of that community as their needs grow.
We also arrange care in Holywood, Lisburn, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Bangor and Dundonald.
The Royal, the City and the Ulster
Most people in the city are treated by the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast City Hospital or the Mater Hospital. Residents in parts of east Belfast may be treated at the Ulster Hospital in Dundonald, run by the South Eastern Trust. A live-in carer in Belfast can be arranged in time for discharge, so your relative is supported from the first night home.
Health and social care in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland does not have council social services. Health and social care are provided together by Health and Social Care Trusts, so assessments are arranged through the Belfast Trust's social work team, or the South Eastern or Northern Trust for addresses outside the city. Ask your GP or the Trust for a care assessment. Care services are regulated by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA). Attendance Allowance is worth checking too.
When family live away
Many Belfast families have sons and daughters in England, Scotland or further afield. A live-in carer gives them confidence that their parent is safe and has company, and we can agree regular updates by phone or video. The carer can also help your relative keep to their routines: church, a walk in Botanic Gardens or along the Lagan, or meeting friends for lunch.
Care homes locally
Care homes in Belfast, and the alternative
Our care-home directory lists 47 registered care homes in Belfast. 28 provide nursing care and 28 support people living with dementia.
If a move into one of these homes is on the table, it is worth comparing it with live-in care: one carer living in your relative’s own home in Belfast, looking after only them. See what live-in care costs, or ask us to check carer availability in Belfast.
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 →
What a live-in carer does day to day, what is not included, and the three steps to arranging it: how live-in care works →
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 people who would be caring for your family
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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Gladys
Live-in carer
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Refiloe
Live-in carer
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Vistorine
Live-in carer
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Brenda
Live-in carer
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Monica
Live-in carer
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Patience
Live-in carer
Our services
Our live-in care services
Nearby
Areas we cover near Belfast
More live-in care in Northern Ireland
Free callback
Speak to someone about live-in care
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 about live-in care here
Local answers on paying for care, nearby areas and care homes.
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 there help with the cost of care in Belfast?
Care in Northern Ireland is assessed and part-funded through your local Health and Social Care Trust. Ask your GP or the Trust's social work team for a care assessment. Attendance Allowance is also worth checking, as it is not means-tested and can be put towards care.
Do you cover areas near Belfast?
Yes. Carers move into the home rather than travelling from a local branch, so we cover Belfast and the towns and villages around it, including Holywood, Lisburn, Comber and Newtownards. Rural addresses are covered too, at the same weekly price.
How many care homes are there in Belfast?
Our care-home directory lists 47 registered care homes in Belfast. If you are weighing up a care home, live-in care is the alternative that keeps your relative at home with one carer supporting only them, and we can explain how the two compare on cost.