Adult support at home

What is companion care?

Companion care means non-clinical company and practical day-to-day support. It can include outings, shopping, simple meals and light household help, but not regulated personal care or nursing.

See what companion care covers Explore Filipino companion-care introductions

Companion supporting an older person at home — Filipino Domestic Services introduces candidates for non-clinical companionship and agreed practical support. It is not a regulated care provider and does not provide nursing, medical treatment or regulated personal care.

Published by Filipino Domestic ServicesLondon household staffing introductionsCare-scope boundary checked 10 August 2026

What does companion care mean in a private home?

Socialsupport, routine and practical help rather than personal or clinical care.

Companion care is a non-clinical household-support role focused on company, routine and manageable practical help. A companion might spend time talking or reading with someone, accompany them on suitable outings, help with shopping, prepare simple meals and complete agreed light household tasks. The role should be defined around what the person actually needs rather than using “care” as a catch-all term.

It is not the same as regulated personal care. Care Quality Commission guidance distinguishes social support such as help with shopping from the regulated activity of personal care. Washing, dressing, toileting and similar physical assistance can fall within regulated personal care, while nursing, diagnosis, treatment and clinical monitoring are separate healthcare functions. If those needs exist, the household should use an appropriate regulated or clinical provider rather than trying to stretch a companion role beyond its scope.

Companion care: what is in scope and what is not.

The actual duties decide whether this type of household staffing is suitable. A reassuring job title does not make a regulated task non-regulated.

Need or taskCompanion route?How to interpret it

Conversation and companyYesSocial contact, reading, shared interests and companionship can sit at the centre of the role.

Shopping and simple mealsYesGroceries, simple meal preparation and ordinary kitchen routines can be agreed as practical household support.

Outings and appointmentsOftenA companion can accompany someone on agreed outings or appointments where the task does not require clinical or regulated personal-care skills.

Light household tasksOftenTidying, laundry or other manageable domestic work can be included if it fits the hours and does not turn the job into a different full household role.

Washing, dressing or toiletingNo within the FDS companion routeThese can amount to regulated personal care. Use an appropriately registered provider where regulated care is required.

Nursing, diagnosis or treatmentNoClinical care is outside a household companion role and requires the appropriate healthcare professional or service.

When can companion support be a sensible first step?

It can suit someone whose main difficulty is isolation, routine or manageable day-to-day practical support rather than a need for regulated personal care.

Someone is spending long periods aloneRegular company, conversation and shared activities can create structure without turning social support into a medical service.

Everyday errands are becoming difficultShopping, simple meals and accompanied local outings may be useful where the person remains able to manage their own personal care.

The family wants a more predictable routineA defined companion schedule can give practical continuity while keeping the person in their own home.

The household wants help without over-specifying “care”Starting with individual tasks makes it easier to see whether a companion, housekeeper, regulated care provider or another role is the better fit.

Companion and older person spending time together — The arrangement should fit the required hours and routine. Live-in does not mean continuous availability, and live-out support can be appropriate where the need is limited to defined periods.

Live-in, live-out or short-term companion support?

The same non-clinical boundary applies whichever working arrangement is chosen. The difference is how the household needs the support scheduled.

Live-out companionUseful when support is needed on defined days or for regular blocks of time, with the companion leaving the property after work.

Live-in companionCan suit a household wanting greater continuity and able to provide suitable private accommodation. Working hours, breaks and genuine off-duty time still need to be explicit.

Short-term or respite-style household supportCan be relevant when a family needs temporary non-clinical support around travel, a transition or a temporary gap. The duties still need to remain within the companion scope.

If needs changeA companion arrangement should be reviewed if the person begins to require washing, dressing, toileting, medication management, nursing or other regulated or clinical services.

A useful companion brief is concrete, not sentimental.

Write down the weekly work so the household and candidate can judge the role rather than relying on labels such as “kind” or “caring”.

Routine

Which days and hours are actually needed?

Record start and finish times, whether the role is live-in or live-out, regular outings and any periods when the person is genuinely off duty.

Company

What social support is useful?

Describe preferred activities, conversation, reading, walks or other ordinary routines without making personality assumptions from nationality.

Practical help

Which household tasks are recurring?

List shopping, simple meals, laundry, tidying, appointments or errands separately so the workload remains realistic.

Boundary

Are any personal-care or clinical tasks required?

If yes, stop and identify the appropriate regulated or healthcare service rather than adding the task informally to a companion job.

From our work

We define the support by tasks before deciding whether “companion” is the right label.

Filipino Domestic Services' current companion-support route starts with the household describing what the person actually needs: company, outings, shopping, simple meals, light household support, the working arrangement, the normal days and hours, and the intended start date. That practical brief is more useful than a broad request for “a carer”.

The distinction matters because the word carer can cover very different services in ordinary conversation. If the household is describing conversation, routine and practical help, a companion introduction may fit. If the requested work includes washing, dressing, toileting, nursing, treatment or another regulated or clinical activity, we do not recast those tasks as companionship. The household needs the appropriate service for the actual need.

We also do not use Filipino nationality as evidence that a candidate will be naturally patient, caring, warm or suitable for an older person. The role is defined first, then the household assesses the individual candidate's relevant experience, communication, availability and fit for that specific brief. Filipino Domestic Services is an introduction agency, not a regulated care provider, so the household remains responsible for the employment decision and the employer obligations that follow a direct hire.

Choose the service by the need, not by the most familiar job title.

Companion care occupies a specific non-clinical space between ordinary household help and regulated personal care. If you are uncertain, list the actual tasks first.

explore Filipino companion-care introductionsSee how the FDS non-clinical companion route works in London. compare home care and care-home optionsCompare staying at home with residential-care settings after the support need is clear. decide between a carer, companion or housekeeperChoose the role by the actual recurring duties. learn how to hire a Filipino companionMove from the role definition into the practical hiring process. Start a companion-support enquiryTell us the routine, duties, days, hours and working arrangement you need.

If you are unsure whether the person needs regulated care, get the need assessed before hiring around the wrong job description. NHS guidance explains that a local-authority care needs assessment can identify what help someone needs with day-to-day life and what support may be available. This page does not assess care needs or provide medical advice.

Questions families ask about companion care.

What is companion care?

Companion care is non-clinical social and practical support at home. It can include company, conversation, outings, shopping, simple meals and agreed light household tasks. It should not be used as a label for regulated personal care, nursing or medical treatment.

What is the difference between companion care and personal care?

Companion care focuses on social contact and practical household support. Personal care can include physical help with washing, dressing, toileting and similar tasks. CQC treats personal care as a regulated activity in relevant circumstances, so a household needing that support should use an appropriate regulated provider.

Can a companion help with meals and shopping?

Yes, simple meal preparation, grocery shopping and ordinary errands can form part of a companion brief when the tasks are agreed and fit the working hours. The role should be reviewed if the person also needs regulated personal-care or clinical support.

Can companion care be live-in?

Yes. A live-in companion can provide non-clinical support during defined working hours while living at the property. The household should provide suitable private accommodation and clearly separate work from genuine off-duty time.

Is Filipino Domestic Services a regulated care provider?

No. Filipino Domestic Services is a household staffing introduction agency. Its companion route is for non-clinical companionship and practical support, not regulated personal care, nursing or medical treatment.

How do I know if a companion is enough support for my parent?

Start by listing the actual difficulties and recurring tasks. If the main needs are company, shopping, simple meals, outings and light practical support, a companion may be worth considering. If the person needs physical help with personal care, clinical support or has urgent health concerns, use the appropriate health or regulated-care route instead.

Sources and care-scope boundary.

This page explains the non-clinical companion role offered through FDS introductions. It does not diagnose care needs, provide regulated personal care or replace advice from a healthcare or social-care professional.

Care Quality CommissionPersonal-care regulated activity and distinction from social support such as shopping. Accessed 10 August 2026. NHSFree care-needs assessment for someone who needs help coping with day-to-day life. Accessed 10 August 2026.

If the need is non-clinical, turn it into a clear household brief.

Define the routine, practical tasks, schedule and working arrangement before comparing candidates.

Explore companion-care introductionsSee the FDS London service and scope. Start a companion-support enquiryTell us the practical support and schedule your household needs.