Start time and practical routine
Agree breakfast or meal preparation, shopping plans, household tasks, appointments and any accompanied local activities.
Live-in companion support in London
Live-in support for company, routine and practical help at home.
Filipino Domestic Services introduces candidates for live-in, non-clinical companionship and agreed practical support. This route is not for regulated personal care, nursing or medical treatment.
Live-in does not mean 24-hour work
The brief should define working hours, breaks, overnight expectations, accommodation and genuine off-duty time.
What is live-in companion support?
Live-in companion support is a household staffing arrangement in which a companion lives at the property and provides agreed social and practical support during defined working hours. Typical duties can include company, outings, shopping, simple meals and light household tasks.
If the person needs washing, dressing, toileting, nursing, treatment or another regulated personal-care service, this introduction route is not the appropriate service.
Start with the support need, not the live-in label.
A live-in arrangement can work well when the main requirement is continuity of companionship and practical help. It should not be used to disguise a need for regulated care.
Live-in companion support may fit when
- The person mainly needs company and a predictable daily routine.
- Shopping, simple meals, outings or light household tasks are part of the role.
- The household can provide suitable private accommodation.
- Working and off-duty periods can be clearly separated.
- There is no requirement for regulated personal care within this service route.
Use an appropriate regulated or clinical service when
- Washing, dressing, toileting or other personal care is required.
- Nursing, diagnosis, treatment or clinical monitoring is needed.
- Moving or handling requires specialist training or equipment.
- Continuous supervision is required because of a health or safeguarding risk.
- The care plan needs professional clinical oversight.
Care Quality Commission guidance explains that social support such as help with shopping is different from the regulated activity of personal care. Read the CQC personal-care guidance.
Define what a normal day should look like.
Families should describe the recurring routine before discussing candidate profiles. The role is easier to assess when the day is broken into real responsibilities rather than broad phrases such as “general care”.
Company, outings and agreed support
Set expectations for conversation, hobbies, errands, local travel and light domestic tasks that fit the purpose of the position.
Finish time and handover
State when working time ends, what information should be handed over to the household and whether any regular evening duties are included.
Private time unless specific work is agreed
Living in the property does not make the companion continuously on duty. Any waking-night or active overnight requirement needs separate definition and may change the suitability of the role.
Accommodation and off-duty boundaries are part of the job brief.
The living arrangement should be described as carefully as the work itself.
Describe the bedroom, storage, bathroom and kitchen arrangements, plus whether facilities are shared.
State core hours, regular breaks, weekly time off and how additional hours would be agreed.
Explain shared spaces, visitors, pets, security systems, internet access and reasonable private use of the home.
If someone must always be present, explain how the household will provide cover without turning one live-in role into continuous working time.
How we scope the enquiry
Why Filipino Domestic Services separates companionship from personal care at the briefing stage.
The words “live-in care” can describe very different situations. Filipino Domestic Services therefore needs the household to state the actual recurring tasks before candidate introductions are considered.
When the requirement is company, outings and practical help, a companion-style domestic role may be appropriate. When the brief contains personal care, nursing, treatment or health-related supervision, the enquiry should be directed to the appropriate regulated or clinical service instead.
This boundary is part of how the service is defined, not a judgement about the person who needs support.
Live-in companion, housekeeper or regulated home care?
Choose by the main responsibility that needs to be delivered safely and consistently.
OptionPrimary purposeTypical scopeKey boundary
Live-in companionCompany and practical supportOutings, shopping, simple meals and light household tasksNo regulated personal care within this route
Live-in housekeeperHousehold managementCleaning, laundry, cooking, organisation and agreed domestic routinesThe home, not companionship, is the main responsibility
Regulated home-care providerPersonal care or regulated supportDepends on the assessed care plan and provider registrationUse where regulated activities are required
Compare the full arrangement, not a headline daily rate.
The total cost of a live-in arrangement depends on the agreed role, working hours, gross pay, accommodation and the household’s employment responsibilities. Cost comparisons should use the same scope on both sides.
For a live-in companion: define pay, hours, accommodation and any employer on-costs that apply.
For residential or regulated care: compare the actual service level and what is included, rather than treating every form of “care” as equivalent.
Compare live-in companion support with care-home costsHow the introduction process works.
Filipino Domestic Services uses the household’s instructions to understand the non-clinical position and make candidate introductions. The household assesses suitability and decides whom to employ or engage.
- Define the support
Describe the person’s routine, companion needs, practical tasks, working hours, accommodation and any health-related boundaries.
- Review candidate introductions
Filipino Domestic Services uses reasonable endeavours to introduce candidates it considers suitable for the work described.
- Interview and complete checks
The household assesses experience and fit, follows up references and qualifications and completes the checks required for the position.
- Agree employment and living terms
The household records the duties, hours, pay, accommodation, time off and start date before the arrangement begins.
Prepare a live-in companion brief that a candidate can actually assess.
Include enough detail to make the role, schedule and living arrangement clear before an interview.
Start a companion enquiry- Who requires companionship and practical support
- Normal daily and weekly routine
- Outings, appointments, shopping and meal expectations
- Light household tasks included in the role
- Working hours, breaks and regular time off
- Bedroom, bathroom and kitchen arrangements
- Any mobility, health or safeguarding issue that changes the scope
- Start date, location and likely duration
Questions about live-in companion support.
Does live-in companion support mean 24-hour care?
No. Live-in describes the accommodation arrangement. The household should define working hours, breaks and time off. Continuous or regulated care requirements need a different service structure.
Can a live-in companion help with washing, dressing or toileting?
Not within the non-clinical introduction route described on this page. These are personal-care requirements and should be discussed with an appropriate regulated provider.
Can shopping, cooking and light household tasks be included?
Yes, where those duties are agreed in advance, fit within the working hours and remain consistent with a companion-style practical support role.
What accommodation should be provided?
The household should describe the private bedroom and storage, bathroom and kitchen arrangements, access to shared areas and any household rules that affect private time.
Who employs the live-in companion?
For a direct placement, the household usually employs or engages the chosen candidate and is responsible for the contract, pay, payroll and applicable employment obligations.
What happens if the support need changes later?
Review the actual duties. If the role develops into personal care, nursing, treatment or another regulated activity, the household should seek an appropriate provider rather than simply adding those duties to a companion brief.
Tell Filipino Domestic Services what live-in support should look like at home.
Send the routine, practical duties, hours, accommodation, location and any scope issues that affect the role.