How to get nursing and personal care at home

If you’re living at home and you have a terminal illness, you may have questions about getting the care you need. This page explains what nursing and personal care are and how to arrange them.

Getting care at home can help you stay as comfortable and independent as possible. The support you can get will depend on your needs, and what services are offered in your area. You can also arrange and pay for some nursing and personal care yourself. (See Arranging private care at home below.)

Nursing care at home involves healthcare professionals, such as nurses and healthcare assistants, visiting you at home to provide care. They can help with things like giving medicines, treating infections, managing symptoms and setting up medical equipment.

Personal care at home is support with everyday tasks such as:

It’s usually provided by a carer who visits you at home.

Overnight care at home is care that supports you during the night. It’s sometimes called night care or night sitters. There are different services available. Some services you must pay for. Some are free.

Some hospices offer hospice care at home. This is where the hospice provides end of life care services in your home, rather than the hospice. For example, being visited by a nurse at home to help manage your symptoms towards the end of life.

Your GP, district nurse or palliative care team may be able to help arrange care and support at home. They can refer you to local services, including social care services, and Marie Curie or Macmillan nurses. They can also tell you about local services, charities and support groups.

If you need nursing care at home, speak to your GP or district nurse. They can support you to access care services at home and refer you to other professionals.

They can also refer you to Marie Curie Nurses and Healthcare Assistants or Macmillan nurses.

To arrange overnight care, speak to your GP or district nurse.

In some areas, Marie Curie Nurses and Healthcare Assistants can provide free care overnight, usually when someone is in the last weeks or days of life. Your GP or district nurse must refer you to this service.

In Northern Ireland, you can apply for overnight care through your health and social care trust. But it may not be available in all areas.

You can also pay for overnight care yourself. There are different types of overnight care available. A social worker can give you information on getting overnight care privately.

Check which hospices are in your area and what services they offer. If they offer hospice care at home, you may need a referral from your GP to be able to access it.

You can arrange and pay for personal care yourself. Or you may be able to get it from your local council or health and social care trust.

To get free or reduced cost personal care, your local council or trust will assess your care needs. They will use this assessment to work out the care and support you need.

They’ll also do a financial assessment to decide whether:

To get an assessment, contact your local council or trust. In England and Wales, ask for the Adult Services department when you contact them. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, ask for the Social Services or Social Work department.

Yes. You can still get personal care, even if you have a friend or family member who helps to look after you.

As well as your assessment for care, the person caring for you may be eligible for a carer’s assessment. This assessment looks at what they do as a carer, and what support they could get to help with their caring role.

If you need nursing or personal care at home, there may be different ways to help pay for it.

NHS services, like care from your GP, district nurse, or hospice care teams are usually free.

In some situations, the NHS may pay for some or all of your care. For example, in England and Wales, NHS continuing healthcare may help cover the cost of care, if you have complex long-term health needs. There is also a fast-track process for people who may be near the end of life.

If you need personal care, your local council or trust may contribute towards the costs. This depends on where you live and your circumstances.

If you’re living with a terminal illness, you may also be able to claim benefits to help with the extra costs of your illness. This might include benefits such as Attendance Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. If someone helps to care for you, they may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance.

You can pay for different types of care, including getting a nurse, a carer, or a cleaner. If you pay for these services, it’s known as getting them privately.

How much carers cost can vary depending on where you live and how much care you need. Having lots of care, like a live-in carer, can be expensive. So it may not be an option for everyone.

Ask for quotes from a few different providers before deciding. This can help you understand how much care you can get for your budget.

You can get a carer or other help through an agency. In the UK, Homecare Association is the professional association for homecare agencies. It has a tool on its website to help you find one local to you. The Care Quality Commission also has a search tool to help you find services nearby.

You may want to compare a couple of suitable agencies. You can call them and ask for more information.

You can ask questions like:

The Homecare Association’s website page Choosing care at home has a bigger list of questions to ask and more advice.

You do not have to employ a carer through an agency. You can employ someone directly. If you do this, you must pay their National Insurance and pension contributions.

You should check if they have the right to work in the UK. You may also want to check if they have a criminal record – you can do this through the government’s disclosure and barring service.

If you’re living on your own, you may be worried about getting the care you need.

It could help to let your GP know that you live on your own. They can let you know about support and services in your area. They might be able to give you information about equipment, charities and services which may help if you’re living on your own.

If you’d like to talk through your concerns about care, our Support Line can offer information and emotional support. You can call for free on 0800 090 2309 or email support@mariecurie.org.uk.

If you’d like some company, there are many organisations that can arrange for a volunteer to visit or phone you.

Many people can continue to be cared for at home as their needs change. But if you need more support, a different place of care may be helpful.

If it’s difficult to meet all your care needs at home, you may benefit from some hospice care. If you are referred, you can stay at a hospice for a few days or weeks. Or go in for day services.

Some hospices offer hospice care at home (see Hospice care at home above.)

You may find being in your own home does not meet all your care needs. Or you may need care for more than a few days at a time. If this happens, you may choose to be cared for in a: