Disability care at home for adults
Support at home and out in the community for adults with a physical, sensory or learning disability, from a few hours a week to a carer who lives in. You choose the carer, and you stay in charge of how support works.
What disability care is
Disability care at home is support that helps a disabled adult live the life they choose: personal care, help around the home, getting out to work, college or social plans, and building independence. It is shaped around the person, not a fixed list of tasks.
Under the Equality Act 2010, which covers England, Scotland and Wales, a person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. Long-term means 12 months or more.
Who it supports
- Physical disabilities, including spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy
- Learning disabilities, such as Down's syndrome
- Autism
- Sight loss or hearing loss
- Brain injury
- Long-term conditions such as multiple sclerosis or motor neurone disease
- Mental health conditions
Five kinds of help a carer gives
Personal care
Washing, dressing, toileting, continence care and moving safely, done the way the person prefers.
Around the home
Meals, shopping, housework, laundry and keeping on top of appointments.
Out and about
Getting to work, college, the gym, appointments and seeing friends.
Building independence
Cooking, budgeting, travel and daily routines, done with the person, not for them.
Company and wellbeing
Someone to talk to, encouragement, and support with confidence and mood.
Why the match matters
A carer may support someone for months or years, at home and out in the community, so age, interests, communication style and personality all matter. Each profile says what experience the carer has, and the person who needs support can speak to carers by phone or video call before choosing.
Tell us about any communication needs, for example sign language or a communication aid, so we only introduce carers who can communicate well with the person.
Which care fits
- Hourly care: support at set times, from 2 hours a visit, for example mornings or getting to college
- Live-in care: a carer living in for daily support, from £1,100 a week
- Overnight care: when nights are the hard part
- Respite care: a break for family who usually do the caring
- Two carers: when two people are needed to move someone safely, £60 an hour, or £1,800 a week live-in
Care and clinical care
Carers give personal and practical care. Clinical tasks, such as injections or wound care, come from the NHS team, for example community nurses. Tell us about all care needs up front so we only introduce carers who can help safely.
Funding for disabled adults
Funding for working-age adults works differently from funding for older people, so it is worth checking each route.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is for people aged 16 or over with a long-term condition or disability who have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around, expected to last at least 12 months. It has a daily living part (£76.70 or £114.60 a week) and a mobility part (£30.30 or £80 a week), and it is not affected by income or savings. You usually need to be under State Pension age to make a new claim. In Scotland, apply for Adult Disability Payment instead.
- Council funding: after a free needs assessment and a means test
- Direct payments: council money you can use to arrange your own care
- NHS Continuing Healthcare: when needs are mainly health needs
- Access to Work: a grant towards practical support at work, such as a support worker, job coach or travel buddy
A Disabled Facilities Grant from the council can help pay for changes to the home, such as ramps, grab rails, a stairlift, a level access shower or a downstairs bedroom. It is up to £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales and £25,000 in Northern Ireland, depending on household income and savings. It is not available in Scotland, where the council can advise on equipment and adaptations. Don't start the work before the council approves the grant.
Rates and rules checked against GOV.UK and the NHS in October 2026. Benefit rates usually change each April.
Tell us what is needed
The person's routine, the support they want, how they communicate, and what matters to them.
See matched profiles
Profiles say what experience each carer has, so you can choose with care.
Speak first
Talk to carers by phone or video call before you agree to anything.
Care starts
You and your carer agree the routine, and change it as needs change.
How carers are checked
Before LCH Care introduces a carer, we check their identity, right to work in the UK, Enhanced DBS, two references, work history, and relevant training or qualifications. Carers also hold their own public liability insurance. You then speak to the carer by phone or video call before you agree to anything.
Who else care is for
Questions
What is disability care at home?
Support that helps a disabled adult live the life they choose, with personal care, help around the home, getting out and about, and building independence.
Can the person choose their own carer?
Yes. They can read profiles and speak to carers by phone or video call before choosing.
Can a carer help with work, college or social plans?
Yes. You and your carer agree the routine, which can include getting to work or college, appointments and seeing friends.
Can two carers help with moving and hoisting?
Yes. When two people are needed to move someone safely, hourly care with two carers costs £60 an hour, and live-in care with two carers costs £1,800 a week.
What benefits can help with disability care?
Personal Independence Payment is for people aged 16 or over who have difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around. The council can also carry out a free needs assessment and may offer direct payments.