Conditions

Spinal cord injury care at home

Day-to-day support at home after a spinal cord injury: personal care, transfers, routines and getting out, from checked, self-employed carers you choose.

Start an enquiry See prices

Living with a spinal cord injury

A spinal cord injury affects the messages between the brain and the body below the level of the injury. Every injury is different, so care is built around the person's own routines and the plan from their spinal team. The Spinal Injuries Association has support and advice.

What daily life can involve

Bladder and bowel routines
Skin checks and pressure care
Transfers with a hoist, a board or other equipment
Wheelchair, posture and seating
Fatigue, and pacing the day
Getting out to work, study and social plans

Autonomic dysreflexia: what everyone in the house needs to know

A medical emergency for some injuries

For people with an injury at or above T6, pain or discomfort below the injury can trigger autonomic dysreflexia: a sudden and severe rise in blood pressure that can be life-threatening. Common causes are a full bladder, a blocked bowel, and skin damage such as a pressure ulcer, burn or ingrown toenail. If the cause can't be found and symptoms don't settle, call 999 (Spinal Injuries Association).

Keep the person's own plan in the care notes, and make sure every carer has read it.

What a carer does

Personal care: washing, dressing and continence care
Transfers using the equipment and method set by the occupational therapist or physiotherapist
Repositioning and skin checks, as set out in the care plan
Meals, housework, laundry and shopping
Getting out: work, appointments and social plans
Noticing changes, such as red skin or signs of infection, and reporting them

Bowel care and catheter care need specific training. A carer only does them when trained for the task and when it has been agreed with the NHS team, so tell us exactly what is needed.

Which care fits

Live-in care suits daily support. When two people are needed for safe transfers, two carers can work together (£60 an hour, or £1,800 a week live-in). Hourly visits can cover morning and evening routines, and overnight care covers turning or help at night.

Help paying for care

Personal Independence Payment: for people aged 16 or over with difficulty with everyday tasks or getting around, usually under State Pension age for a new claim, and not affected by income or savings (Adult Disability Payment in Scotland)
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 or job coach

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 about them
The diagnosis, how they are now, routines, 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.

Other conditions

Questions

Can a carer help with transfers and hoists?

Yes, using the equipment and method set out by the occupational therapist or physiotherapist. When two people are needed, two carers can work together.

Can carers do bowel or catheter care?

Only when the carer is trained for the task and it has been agreed with the NHS team. Tell us exactly what is needed so we introduce suitable carers.

What is autonomic dysreflexia?

A sudden, severe rise in blood pressure that can affect people with an injury at or above T6. If the cause can't be found and it doesn't settle, call 999.

Can a carer support someone back to work?

Yes, with routines and getting there. Access to Work may give a grant towards support at work.