Domiciliary care, also called home care or visiting care, is professional support delivered in a person's own home rather than in a care home. A trained care worker visits at agreed times to help with things like washing, dressing, medication, meals and company. In Surrey, visits start at £29.95 for 30 minutes, and care can usually begin within 24 to 48 hours of a free assessment.
If you have just heard the word "domiciliary" from a hospital discharge team or a social worker, you are not alone, almost nobody uses it at home. It simply means care that comes to you. This guide explains what domiciliary care covers, what it costs, how it compares with the alternatives, and how to arrange it.
What does a domiciliary care worker actually do?
A care worker does whatever the agreed care plan says, and a good care plan is built around the person, not a standard checklist. In practice, most visits are made up of some mix of the following.
Personal care, help with washing, bathing, dressing, shaving, continence support and getting to and from the toilet, done with patience and dignity.
Medication support, prompting and helping someone take medication as prescribed, and noticing when something seems wrong.
Meals and hydration, preparing food someone will actually eat, encouraging fluids, and keeping an eye on appetite.
The home itself, light housekeeping, laundry, shopping and errands, so the house keeps working.
Company, conversation, a walk, a shared cup of tea. Many families say this is the part that changes things most.
Nights, a care worker can stay overnight, either sleeping at the home and helping if needed, or awake throughout for someone who needs support during the night.
What a care worker will not do is act as a nurse or doctor: clinical tasks such as wound care or injections belong to district nurses and the NHS, and home care works alongside those services rather than replacing them.
How is domiciliary care different from a care home or live-in care?
The difference is where the care happens and how much of it there is.
| Option | What it is | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Domiciliary (visiting) care | Care workers visit at set times, from 30 minutes upward | Help at particular points of the day, staying at home |
| Live-in care | A care professional lives in the home | Round-the-clock support without leaving home |
| Care home | Moving into a residential setting | People who prefer, or need, a staffed environment |
Visiting care keeps the person in their own home, keeps routines intact, and costs only what you use. For most families weighing up elderly care options, it is the gentlest place to start. As needs grow, visits can be added, and if support is eventually needed across most of the day, live-in care usually becomes the better-value way to stay at home. Our guide comparing live-in care with a care home sets out the real Surrey numbers.
How much does domiciliary care cost in Surrey?
At Aims Homecare, published rates are the same Monday to Sunday, with no weekend premium; Bank Holidays are charged at double the standard rate: 30-minute visits at £29.95, 45-minute visits at £34.95, one-hour visits at £36.95, sleeping nights at £175, waking nights from £30 per hour and live-in care at £245 per 24 hours.
As worked examples, one hour of support every day comes to £258.65 a week, and two 30-minute visits a day comes to £419.30 a week. The pricing page has the full rate card, and our guide to home care costs per hour explains what moves prices up and down across the market.
Who pays for domiciliary care?
Some people fund their own care; others get help. Three routes are worth knowing.
The council. Surrey County Council's adult social care team carries out a free care needs assessment, and whether the council contributes is then means-tested, for 2026/27 the national thresholds are £23,250 and £14,250. Call 0300 200 1005 or start at surreycc.gov.uk/adults.
Attendance Allowance. £76.70 or £114.60 a week (2026/27) for people over State Pension age who need help with personal care, not means-tested, and worth checking even if you assume you would not qualify. Details on gov.uk.
NHS Continuing Healthcare can fund care in full, at home, where someone has long-term complex health needs, the NHS guide explains eligibility. Aims' funding support service helps families with the paperwork for all three, and MoneyHelper offers free impartial guidance.
How do you arrange domiciliary care?
Three steps. First, a phone call, you describe what is happening and what might help. Second, a free home assessment: an unhurried visit to build a care plan around the person's routine, ending with an exact written quote. Our guide to the home care assessment walks through it in detail. Third, care starts, usually within 24 to 48 hours of the assessment, with the plan adjusted freely as everyone learns what helps.
When comparing domiciliary care agencies near you, check two things every time: that the provider is registered with the Care Quality Commission, you can search any provider at cqc.org.uk/care-services, and that the rate card is complete, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays.
How is domiciliary care regulated?
Every genuine domiciliary care agency in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission, which inspects each provider and rates it Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate. The register is free to search at cqc.org.uk/care-services, and a provider's full inspection report is public. Aims Homecare is rated Good, and you can read our CQC report here. If an "agency" does not appear on the CQC register at all, walk away briskly: registration is a legal requirement for regulated personal care, not a badge of honour.
Frequently asked questions
What does domiciliary care mean?
Domiciliary care means professional care provided in a person's own home, "domiciliary" comes from domicile, meaning home. It covers the same territory as the everyday terms home care and visiting care: a trained care worker comes to the house at agreed times to provide agreed support.
Is domiciliary care the same as home care?
Yes. Domiciliary care, home care and visiting care all describe the same service, the word professionals use simply varies. Live-in care is the related option where the care professional lives in the home full-time rather than visiting.
How much does domiciliary care cost per hour?
At Aims Homecare in Surrey, a one-hour visit starts at £36.95, with 30-minute visits at £29.95 and 45-minute visits at £34.95, the same rates Monday to Sunday, with no weekend premium; Bank Holidays are charged at double the standard rate. Prices vary between agencies, so always ask for the full rate card.
Can domiciliary care cover nights?
Yes. A sleeping night means the care worker sleeps at the home from 10pm to 7am and helps if needed, at £175 a night. A waking night means they stay awake throughout, from £30 an hour. Both are planned the same way as daytime visits.
Do I need a council assessment before arranging domiciliary care?
No. You can arrange care privately at any time, Aims' own free assessment is all that is needed to start. A council care needs assessment is a separate, free process worth requesting if you want the council to consider contributing to the cost.
How quickly can domiciliary care start?
Care can usually begin within 24 to 48 hours of the free home assessment, and assessments can be arranged at short notice, including before or straight after a hospital discharge. Tell the first phone call about any deadline and the timetable is built around it.
If you are weighing up whether domiciliary care would help, we are happy to talk it through, a free home assessment, no obligation, and an honest steer if we think something else would suit better. Call 01372 386222 or contact us online.
This article is general information, not advice about your own situation. Care needs and funding differ from person to person, please speak to Surrey County Council's adult social care team, MoneyHelper or an independent adviser about your circumstances.
Last reviewed: 4 August 2026; regulation section added 2 September 2026. Written by Sharon Draper, Aims Group Manager, Aims Homecare. Reviewed by Shazad Hashmi, Nominated Individual, BA (Hons). Next review: April 2027.