Care at home

You may need help at home because of disability, illness, injury, or simply because you are getting older. Home care is provided so you can be as independent as possible. In most cases, people want to stay in their own home, and this service aims to help you do just that. We can provide help with practical tasks such as cooking, washing and getting dressed.

Home care providers

Our contracted home care providers have shown that they can meet Croydon's quality standards, and are monitored and reviewed regularly. Our standards mean they will:

• always listen to what you have to say, especially concerning your preferences about how and when your care is to be given
• make every effort to arrange for your care to be given by the same person(s), but it can help if there is some flexibility in this arrangement
• provide care at times that suit you
• make sure that the people who care for you are polite, courteous, punctual and well trained

We will not stop or change your home care without discussing it with you.

To find services offering care in the home, please visit the Care Quality Commission.

Changing your carer

If you are unhappy with the service in any way, you should first talk to your home care provider and follow their complaints process. If the problem continues, you can make a complaint to ASCComplaints@croydon.gov.uk.

Talk to your provider if:

• the home carer is always late or consistently leaves early
• the carer keeps changing
• the carer often fails to turn up and doesn't let you know
• the carer does not treat you with respect
• the carer handles you badly or roughly
• you are suspicious about the carer's honesty

How to get support

Request support for an adult will take you through:

• telling us about your situation and choosing the support you need
• any costs that may come with the support, and how to pay them

When you request support, we will offer you the support that suits your needs best, not just the type you apply for. 

Start now

Paying for private care

You can also pay for your private care. If you choose private care, we recommend that you look at your provider's brochure and check:

• they have a statement of purpose
• they are approved by Croydon council Social Services
• they are a member of the United Kingdom Home Care Association
• they are registered with the Commission for Social Care Inspection
• how much they charge
• how you pay
• you can see a copy of the contract to read first
• the care workers are fully insured for professional, public and employer's liability
• care staff are appropriately trained and vetted, with references
• the organisation has a complaints procedure and an emergency contact number

If you pay for private care in addition to council care

Tell your financial assessment officer so that we can consider it when we calculate how much you can afford to pay.