Home care in Wandsworth
LCH Care matches families in Wandsworth with checked, self-employed carers, from 2-hour visits to live-in care. You choose your carer and speak to them before anything is agreed.
Wandsworth at a glance
About 34,800 people aged 65 or over live in Wandsworth, 10.2% of its 339,900 residents (ONS mid-2025 population estimates). About 4,640 people in Wandsworth are aged 85 or over. Wandsworth is classed as urban (ONS rural-urban classification), with about 9,921 people per square kilometre, which suits hourly visits as well as live-in care.
Population figures: ONS mid-2025 population estimates. GP practices: NHS ODS, October 2026.
How Wandsworth compares with England
The 2021 Census found 9.6% of Wandsworth residents aged 65 or over (below the England average of 18.4%) and 5.7% giving unpaid care (below the England average of 8.8%). In 7.9% of Wandsworth households, someone aged 66 or over lives alone (below the England average of 12.8%).
| Census 2021 | Wandsworth | England |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or over | 9.6% (31,285) | 18.4% |
| Aged 85 or over | 1.2% (4,031) | 2.4% |
| Households of one person aged 66 or over | 7.9% (10,895) | 12.8% |
| Give unpaid care (aged 5 or over) | 5.7% (17,677) | 8.8% |
| Give 50 or more hours of unpaid care a week | 1.4% (4,260) | 2.6% |
| Disabled under the Equality Act | 11.4% (37,412) | 17.3% |
| In bad or very bad health | 3.1% (10,252) | 5.2% |
Census 2021, ONS: usual residents of Wandsworth, counts in brackets.
Care at home in Wandsworth
- Hourly care in Wandsworth: visits of 2 hours or more, at times that suit you, from £25 an hour
- Live-in care in Wandsworth: a carer living in the home for daily support, £1,100 a week
- Overnight care in Wandsworth: sleeping or waking nights, so nights are safe
- Respite care in Wandsworth: cover while a family carer takes a break
- 24-hour care in Wandsworth: two carers sharing the day and the night
- Companionship care in Wandsworth: company, outings and help with daily routines
- Dementia care in Wandsworth: a familiar carer and a steady routine at home
Not sure which type fits? See home care explained.
In Wandsworth, families also ask about care for dementia, Parkinson's, stroke, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, cancer and end of life care; see all conditions.
Health and care services in Wandsworth
NHS services in Wandsworth are planned and paid for by NHS South West London Integrated Care Board, which also assesses people for NHS Continuing Healthcare. NHS hospitals in Wandsworth include St George's Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital. 38 GP practices are based in Wandsworth (NHS ODS, October 2026). Find yours on the NHS website. When it is not an emergency but you need help quickly, call NHS 111 or use 111.nhs.uk.
Coming home from hospital
If your relative is coming home from hospital, care can start at short notice when a suitable carer is available near them. Tell us the discharge date as early as you can, and see short-notice care.
Care services in Wandsworth
The CQC care directory (30 September 2026) lists 40 homecare agencies, 13 care homes without nursing and 13 nursing homes in Wandsworth. Adult hospices in Wandsworth include Marie Curie, Hospice Community Services, London and the Home Counties Region. Those services are registered with the CQC. LCH Care works differently: as an introductory agency it has no ongoing role in the personal care itself, so the CQC does not require it to register (how the two models differ).
Older people's health in Wandsworth
An estimated 2,440 people aged 65 or over in Wandsworth are living with dementia, and 1,900 of them have a recorded diagnosis: a diagnosis rate of 77.9% in 2026, against 66.3% across England (better than England, as OHID rates it). See dementia care at home.
In 2024/25, emergency hospital admissions after a fall among people aged 65 or over ran at 1,906 per 100,000 in Wandsworth, compared with 1,958 across England (similar to England).
At 65, men in Wandsworth can expect to live another 19.3 years and women another 22.3 years (2023 to 25; England: 19.1 and 21.5 years). Of those years, about 10.4 for men and 10.6 for women are expected to be spent in good health (2022 to 24).
Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), Fingertips public health profiles, figures for the council with public health duties. Comparisons with England are OHID's own significance ratings.
Arranging and funding care in Wandsworth
Adult social care in Wandsworth is run by London Borough of Wandsworth. Ask London Borough of Wandsworth for a free needs assessment: apply for a needs assessment on GOV.UK. A needs assessment is worth having even if you plan to pay for care yourself, because it sets out the help needed in writing.
In England, the council's needs assessment is free, and people with savings over £23,250 usually pay for their own care; the home is not counted when care is at home (NHS). Benefits such as Attendance Allowance and NHS Continuing Healthcare can also help; see paying for care at home.
Council help for older and disabled people
For people in Wandsworth, GOV.UK links straight to the council's page for each of these:
Unpaid carers and local support in Wandsworth
17,677 people in Wandsworth were unpaid carers at the 2021 Census, 5.7% of residents aged 5 or over (below the England average of 8.8%); 4,260 gave 50 hours or more a week.
Unpaid carers in Wandsworth can ask London Borough of Wandsworth for a free carer's assessment (carer assessments on the NHS website). Carer's Allowance is £86.45 a week for people caring at least 35 hours a week for someone who gets a qualifying benefit (GOV.UK; see Carer's Allowance explained).
Planned breaks matter: respite care at home gives a family carer in Wandsworth time off while a checked carer steps in.
Charities that help families near Wandsworth:
- Age UK: local Age UK services
- Carers UK: advice for carers
- Alzheimer's Society: dementia support near you
- Hospice UK: find hospice care near you
Why families in Wandsworth choose LCH Care
- Speak first, then choose. You talk to carers who can reach Wandsworth by phone or video call, and the choice is yours.
- Checks before any introduction: identity, right to work in the UK, Enhanced DBS, two references, work history and relevant training or qualifications.
- One clear price: £25 an hour with at least 2 hours a visit, or £1,100 a week for live-in care, confirmed in a written quote.
- Simple payments. LCH Care invoices you weekly and pays your self-employed carer, so there is no payroll for you to run.
There is no office in Wandsworth to visit: LCH Care is an introductory agency, and your carer comes to you. See how it works and pricing.
Work as a carer in Wandsworth
If you are an experienced carer near Wandsworth, LCH Care can introduce you to families looking for hourly or live-in care. You choose which introductions to accept, are paid weekly by bank transfer, and pay no fee to join. See work as a self-employed carer and questions from carers.
Towns and districts in Wandsworth
LCH Care matches families across Wandsworth, including these 8 towns, villages and districts:
- Balham
- Battersea
- Clapham Common
- Earlsfield
- Nine Elms
- Putney
- Roehampton
- Tooting
Postcode districts
Postcode districts in Wandsworth include SW1P, SW1V, SW2, SW4, SW6, SW8, SW11, SW12, SW14, SW15, SW17, SW18 and SW19.
Nearby areas
Questions
Do you arrange home care across Wandsworth?
Yes. LCH Care matches families anywhere in Wandsworth, including Balham, Battersea, Clapham Common and Earlsfield, with checked, self-employed carers. Availability depends on carers near you, and we will tell you honestly what we can offer.
How much does a carer cost per hour in Wandsworth?
£25 an hour. Visits in Wandsworth are at least 2 hours, so each visit costs from £50, and your written quote confirms the total before care begins. See the cost of hourly care.
How much does live-in care cost per day in Wandsworth?
Live-in care in Wandsworth costs £1,100 a week, which is about £157 a day, with a 2-week minimum. You also provide the carer's food or a £30 weekly food allowance. See the cost of live-in care.
Will the NHS pay for care at home in Wandsworth?
Only if the person's needs are mainly health needs and they qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, which the local integrated care board assesses. In Wandsworth that is NHS South West London Integrated Care Board. See NHS Continuing Healthcare.
Can I get free care at home in Wandsworth?
In England, the council's needs assessment is free, and people with savings over £23,250 usually pay for their own care; the home is not counted when care is at home (NHS).
Is live-in care cheaper than a care home in Wandsworth?
Live-in care with LCH Care costs £1,100 a week for one carer. Published UK averages for a self-funded care home place are about £1,100 to £1,300 a week for residential care and about £1,450 to £1,512 a week for nursing care (Age UK; Lottie, checked October 2026). The CQC lists 13 care homes without nursing and 13 nursing homes in Wandsworth. Live-in care also keeps a couple together at home (care for couples). See home care or a care home.
How do I contact London Borough of Wandsworth adult social care?
Ask London Borough of Wandsworth for a free needs assessment: apply for a needs assessment on GOV.UK. The council's own website is www.wandsworth.gov.uk.
How many older people live in Wandsworth?
About 34,800 people aged 65 or over live in Wandsworth, 10.2% of residents, and about 4,640 are aged 85 or over (ONS mid-2025 population estimates).
Care at home in Wandsworth
Tell us what is needed in Wandsworth, and we'll call you back and send profiles of suitable carers.