Discounts and benefits for carers: what you can claim in 2026
Carer's Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Council Tax reductions, free flu jabs and the discount schemes most carers never use.
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Honest answers to
real care questions.
Practical guides from our Surrey care team on choosing care, understanding costs, and supporting the people you love.
Written by our teamLeatherhead, Surrey
Practical care adviceUpdated regularly
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What does a care assistant actually do?
Duties, training, DBS checks and the honest version of what the job takes — for families and future carers alike.
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What happens during a home care assessment?
The complete guide: what is asked, what to prepare, what it costs (nothing) and how quickly care can start.
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How much do home care agencies charge per hour?
Real 2026 Surrey rates from £29.95 a visit, what moves prices up and down, and the funding help you can claim.
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Live-in care vs a care home: real Surrey costs compared
£245 per 24 hours at home versus £1,446+ a week in a care home: the honest 2026 comparison.
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What is domiciliary care? Meaning, costs and how it works
The plain-English guide to home care: what care workers do, what it costs and how to arrange it.
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An elderly person has fallen: what to do, and when to worry
What to check first, when to call 999 or 111, how to help someone up safely, and what to arrange afterwards.
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How to use a dosette box (and what to do when pills get missed)
Who they help, how to set one up safely with the pharmacist, and what to try when a box is not enough.
Read the guide → How Do You Choose a Home Care Agency in Surrey?
The seven checks that separate a good home care agency from a glossy brochure: CQC ratings, real reviews, published prices, employed carers and the…
Read the guide → Local Home Care Agency or National Franchise: Which Is Better?
Neither is automatically better. What a franchise actually is, why CQC ratings vary branch by branch, and the five checks that matter more than…
Read the guide → What Should a Good Live-in Carer Job Actually Offer?
An honest checklist for carers comparing employers: employed status, paid mileage, real training and supervision, how cover works, and the red flags in care…
Read the guide → Do People With Dementia Have to Pay Care Home Fees?
Usually yes, but not always. The 2026/27 means test, NHS Continuing Healthcare, section 117 aftercare and the home care routes that protect the house.
Read the guide → NHS Continuing Healthcare: Could the NHS Pay for Your Care in Full?
Not means-tested, can cover care at home in full, and families are rarely told it exists. How CHC works, the 12 domains, and what…
Read the guide → What Is 24-Hour Care at Home, and How Much Does It Cost?
The three models of round-the-clock care at home compared: live-in at £245/24h, waking and sleeping nights, and how they stack up against a care…
Read the guide → How Much Does a Live-in Carer Cost in 2026?
Live-in care at £245 per 24 hours, £1,715 a week. Managed providers vs introduction agencies vs employing directly, and the couples maths.
Read the guide → Can the Council Pay for Care in Your Own Home?
For care at home your house is never counted in the means test. The needs assessment, financial assessment, personal budgets and direct payments explained.
Read the guide → How Much Does It Cost for Home Care? Real 2026 Prices, No Mystery
Home care costs in 2026: visits from £29.95, hourly care at £36.95, live-in care at £245 per 24 hours. Real published prices, what changes…
Read the guide → How Much Do Care Agencies Charge Per Hour in the UK?
UK care agencies typically charge £20 to £35 an hour in 2026. What that hour really pays for, why the cheapest quote bites back,…
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