Whether it's for you or someone you love, Care Compass helps you weigh up staying at home against moving into a care home — and shows practical ways to make each day safer.
Care Compass gives friendly guidance to help you think things through — it isn't a medical or care assessment. There's no right or wrong answer here, and whatever you decide, a real person at Good Companions is happy to talk it over with no pressure.
This is a starting point, not a diagnosis. The best next step is a free needs assessment from your local council — it's your legal right, and it helps everyone see the full picture. We can help you arrange one.
Our live-in price is shown for you below. Home care and care-home fees vary with each person's needs, so pop in the rates you've been quoted and see how they compare, per week.
Good Companions are waiving their admin fee on new 24-hour live-in arrangements for up to 6 months — so more of what you pay goes straight to the carer looking after you.
That's over £300 a week — more than £16,000 a year — below the typical UK live-in rate, with a dedicated one-to-one carer in your own home.
The daily registered care visit is part of every live-in arrangement — it gives your carer a proper break and keeps a qualified professional involved, so you have the reassurance of a regulated service alongside the warmth of your own live-in carer.
Comparison based on typical 2026 UK live-in care rates; individual providers vary. All figures are for illustration only and subject to assessment, availability and individual circumstances. The direct-pay live-in arrangement is separate from Good Companions' CQC-registered services.
Wondering how any of this could be paid for? Council funding, NHS support and benefits may all help. See our plain-English guide to care funding — general information, not financial advice.
Small changes make a big difference as everyday tasks get harder. Tick things off as you go — it's a handy list to work through with family or a carer.
Many of these can be arranged through an occupational therapist — ask your GP or council for a free home assessment. Good Companions can also help set the home up and take on the day-to-day support.
A calm, practical order to do things in — and the right questions to ask so you can compare fairly and choose with confidence.
Call your local council's adult social care team and ask for a Care Act needs assessment. It's free, it's your right, and it sets out what support would help — whichever direction you lean.
The council can check whether you qualify for help with costs. Getting this early avoids surprises and shapes what's realistic.
Where possible, involve the person needing care in every step. Feeling heard matters as much as the practical answer.
See a care home in person, or meet a home-care carer before deciding. Use the questions below.
Respite stays, day care, or a few home-care visits a week are gentle ways to try something before committing.
When looking at care at home:
When looking at a care home:
No pressure and no obligation — just a friendly conversation with people who do this every day, right here in Cumbria.
Leave your details and we'll get back to you. If you've used the guide, we'll include your answers so we understand your situation before we call.
By sending, you're happy for us to contact you about your enquiry. See how we use your details.
In plain English — because it matters, especially when it's about someone you love.
What we collect. Only what you choose to give us: your name, a contact number, an email if you add one, anything you write in the message, and — if you've used the guide — the answers you gave, so we can understand your situation.
Why. Purely so a member of the Good Companions team can get back to you about your enquiry and the care you're looking into. Nothing more.
Who sees it. Your enquiry is sent to the Good Companions care team. We don't sell your details, and we don't share them with anyone else for marketing.
How long we keep it. Only as long as we need to help with your enquiry and any care that follows. You can ask us to delete your details at any time.
Your choices. You can ask to see, correct or delete what we hold — just email goodcompanionshomecare@gmail.com or call 01228 594153. This is a short summary; Good Companions' full privacy policy applies.