Live-in care for young adults means having a trained carer living in your home to help with personal care, health needs and everyday life. The right support can make it easier to live independently, whether that means getting to college, starting work, seeing friends or having more say over how you spend your time.
Independent People Live-in Care provides fully managed live-in care for adults aged 18 and over with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, neurological conditions and complex health needs. Our service in England is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which rated it Good in all five areas in its latest report. We work with young adults, their families and the professionals involved in their care to put suitable support in place.
If you’re planning for the move to adult services, or your current care arrangements are no longer working, call 0800 471 4741 to talk things through. You can explore your options without having to make a decision on the call.
How live-in care for young adults works
With live-in care, a carer lives in your home and helps with the things you need assistance with, such as washing and dressing, preparing meals or getting out and about. They can also help you keep up with college, work and social plans, while giving you space to do things for yourself wherever possible. It can be an alternative to living in supported housing or a residential setting.
There are different ways to arrange live-in care, so it’s worth understanding who employs the carer and manages the service. Some young adults employ a personal assistant (PA) directly, often using direct payments. This can give you more control over who you employ and how support is arranged, but it also means taking responsibility for recruitment, contracts, supervision and finding cover.
Independent People Live-in Care manages these arrangements for you. We employ, train and supervise our carers, assess your needs, put a care plan in place and review it as circumstances change. We’ll also discuss arrangements for your carer’s breaks and time off, so you understand how care will be managed.
Our guide to introductory versus fully managed live-in care explains the differences. If you’d prefer an introductory service where you work directly with a self-employed carer, our partner company, Ivy Palmer, offers this option.
Who is young adult live-in care for?
We support adults aged 18 and over who need daily help because of a disability, long-term condition or injury. You might live with your family, in your own home or in student accommodation. If you’re not yet 18, you can start exploring your options with us while planning for the move into adult services.
Young adults we support include people who:
- Have a learning disability and want to build everyday skills while having help available when needed
- Have cerebral palsy and need assistance with mobility, transfers or personal care
- Have Down’s syndrome and want care that reflects their interests, routines and personal goals
- Are living with the effects of a brain injury, with support needs that may vary from day to day
- Have a spinal injury and need practical help to manage daily life and get out and about
- Live with multiple sclerosis or muscular dystrophy, where their needs may change over time
- Have a mental health condition and would benefit from consistent, respectful support at home
- Are recovering after a long hospital stay or working through a rehabilitation programme
Your diagnosis is only one part of the picture. What matters is the help you need day to day, the things you want to do and the support that would make those things possible. If your condition isn’t listed, get in touch to discuss your circumstances.
You can also read our guides on supporting someone with a learning disability and care for people living with Down’s syndrome.
Moving from children’s to adult services
Moving from children’s to adult health and social care services takes planning. In England, children’s services support young people with long-term conditions until they turn 18, when adult services usually take over. The NHS recommends that planning for this change, known as transition, starts by Year 9, when a young person is around 13 or 14. It should be an ongoing process, rather than something left until a young person’s 18th birthday.
As the transition approaches, the young person or their parent can ask the local council for a transition needs assessment. If the young person is likely to need care and support after turning 18, and the council considers an assessment would be of significant benefit, it must carry one out. Children’s services should continue until adult support is in place or it becomes clear that it isn’t needed. The NHS guidance also covers education, benefits and work. Scotland and Wales have their own arrangements, so check the guidance for the relevant nation.
For parents, this period can bring plenty of questions. Familiar professionals may change, funding may be reassessed and decisions about care need to reflect the young person’s own wishes. For the young adult, it’s also an opportunity to have more say in how they live and what support looks like.
We can talk through options before the transition, join planning meetings where helpful and build a care plan around the young adult’s everyday needs and future goals. We can also work alongside social workers, case managers and education staff.
What a live-in carer does day to day
The help you receive will depend on your needs and what you want to achieve. Your routine and priorities should shape the care plan, with your carer fitting in around your life.
| Area | Examples of support |
| Personal care | Washing, dressing, continence care and skin care, provided discreetly and at your pace |
| Mobility | Transfers, hoisting, wheelchair support and help moving safely at home and outside |
| Health | Prompting or support with medication as agreed in your care plan, help with appointments, and support with exercises set by your physiotherapist |
| Home and meals | Cooking food you actually want to eat, laundry, cleaning and keeping the home safe and accessible |
| Getting out | Travel to college, work, the gym or a friend’s house, as well as appointments, days out and holidays |
| Routines and goals | A structure for the day that you set, with support to work towards your own goals |
Our physiotherapy and rehabilitation service explains how carers can help you follow exercises prescribed by a physiotherapist between sessions.
Standard live-in care is not the same as live-in nursing. If clinical tasks are needed, these must be assessed and supported through an appropriate nurse-led care package, as explained below.
Your carer also needs daily breaks and a proper night’s sleep. If you need regular help throughout the night, we’ll discuss waking-night care or additional staffing during the assessment rather than expecting one person to work around the clock.
Our carers are employed by us, DBS-checked and trained before they start. They also receive ongoing supervision and have a named contact at our office.
Independence, study, work and social life
The right support can make everyday plans easier to manage. Help with your morning routine might mean getting to lectures on time. Support with travel could make a part-time job or apprenticeship possible. And having someone to help you get to a match, gig or club night can make it easier to keep doing the things you enjoy.
- College and university: Help getting ready and travelling in, personal care on campus where this has been arranged, and support with deadlines and managing energy. Our guide to supporting a disabled student at university has more practical advice.
- Work and volunteering: Help with the commute, practical tasks in the workplace where agreed, and the organisation involved in managing a job.
- Friends, sport and hobbies: Help getting to training, social events and other activities, with a carer who understands when to give you space.
- Life skills: Cooking, budgeting, using public transport and managing appointments, with opportunities to practise and build confidence over time.
You decide what you want to learn and how you spend your time. If you want to cook for yourself, your carer can help you prepare a meal rather than making it for you. If you’d rather spend Saturday at the skate park than go shopping, that’s your choice.
For more on building everyday independence, read our articles on independent living for young adults with live-in care and how to promote independence in young adults with cerebral palsy.
Your carer, your choices
You should have a say in who supports you at home. When we look for a carer to suit your needs, we consider their skills and experience alongside personality, interests and whether you’d feel comfortable sharing your home with them. You can review carer profiles before anyone starts. If the arrangement isn’t working, tell us what’s wrong and we’ll discuss how to put things right.
Your home is still your space. You decide your routine, who visits, what you eat and how you use your rooms. Your carer will need their own bedroom and regular breaks, but you should also have privacy and time to yourself.
Your care plan is developed with you, reviewed regularly and updated when your needs or circumstances change. If something isn’t right, you can raise it with your carer, your named contact at our office or through our complaints procedure. Your concerns should be listened to and taken seriously.
Your family can be involved with your agreement. Under the law in England and Wales, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 assumes that you can make your own decisions and requires that you’re given support to do so. If you can’t make a particular decision, even with appropriate help, any decision made on your behalf must be in your best interests. An attorney or deputy may also be involved where appropriate. Scotland has separate legislation.
Complex and specialist needs
Some young adults need help with health needs that go beyond personal care and everyday routines. This might include a tracheostomy, gastrostomy feeding, respiratory support or epilepsy that requires careful management.
For these situations, we provide nurse-led complex care. Our service is registered with the CQC for Treatment of Disease, Disorder or Injury. Clinical tasks can be included in a live-in care package when a registered nurse has assessed the person’s needs, the task has been appropriately delegated, and the carer has been trained and assessed as competent. Ongoing clinical oversight is also provided.
Nurse-led care means our nursing team is involved in clinical assessment, oversight and review. It doesn’t mean a nurse lives in your home. Our neurological care at home page explains more about support for conditions such as multiple sclerosis, brain injury and spinal injury.
Support for parents and families
If you’ve supported your son or daughter for many years, bringing a live-in carer into the home can take some getting used to. We involve families in discussions about care arrangements, carer matching and reviews, where the young adult agrees.
Live-in care can also give parents time to rest, take a holiday or manage other commitments, knowing that care is in place. Our respite and short-term live-in care service can provide temporary cover for a family break or a particularly busy period.
We also work with the professionals involved in a young adult’s care. If you’re a case manager or social worker, our page for case managers and professionals explains how we work with you.
Real stories: James and Sarah
James and Sarah’s experiences show how live-in care can help young adults with different needs maintain their independence and continue doing the things that matter to them.
James lives in Suffolk and has Down syndrome. His family wanted him to develop his independence in his own home, with a carer who understood his needs. He now uses a visual plan to organise his day, has learned to cook simple meals and budget when shopping, and keeps active with walks and gentle exercise. He also goes to football matches with a carer who shares his interest in the game.
Sarah, from Surrey, has cerebral palsy and works in media. As her care needs increased, she chose live-in care so she could continue living at home. Her carer, Emily, helps her get up and dressed, prepares meals, supports her prescribed physiotherapy exercises and helps manage appointments. She also helps Sarah organise her workspace so she can continue with her career.
How much does it cost and how is it funded?
The cost of live-in care for a young adult depends on the level of support needed, whether clinical tasks are involved, the need for overnight assistance and how long care is required. We provide a written quote following an assessment. Our live-in care costs page explains what’s included and what affects the price.
Funding options vary across England, Scotland and Wales. In England, the main routes include:
- Council funding after a needs assessment: You can ask your local council for a free care needs assessment. If the young adult has eligible needs, the council will set a personal budget. A financial assessment determines whether they need to contribute towards the cost.
- Direct payments: Some or all of a personal budget may be provided as direct payments. This can be used to arrange care with a provider such as Independent People Live-in Care or to employ a personal assistant.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC): Young adults assessed as having a primary health need may qualify for NHS Continuing Healthcare, with care arranged and funded by the NHS. Eligibility depends on an assessment of overall needs, not simply a diagnosis. See NHS England’s guidance.
- Self-funding: You can pay privately for care or combine private payments with other funding where appropriate.
In Scotland, social care can be arranged through self-directed support, which offers four options, including a direct payment. Wales has its own arrangements for direct payments and continuing healthcare.
Wherever you live, contacting your local council is a useful starting point. We can’t guarantee what funding you’ll qualify for, but we can help explain the process. For more information, read our guides to whether social services will fund live-in care, NHS Continuing Healthcare funding and funding your care at home.
Arrange live-in care in 3 steps
1. Get in touch. Call 0800 471 4741 or send us an enquiry. Tell us about the young adult, the help they need and what’s working or proving difficult with their current arrangements. You can contact us even if you’re still planning ahead.
2. Arrange a care assessment. A member of our care team meets with the young adult and, if they wish, their family. This can take place at home, in hospital or at college. We’ll discuss daily needs, personal goals, the home environment and any clinical input required.
3. Meet your carer and agree a start date. We’ll suggest carers whose skills and personalities may suit the young adult. You can review their profiles and discuss the options before agreeing a care plan and start date. We remain involved once care begins, reviewing the arrangement as needs change.
Live-in care for young adults: FAQs
What is live-in care for young adults?
Live-in care for young adults is one-to-one support from a trained carer who lives in the young adult’s home. Depending on their needs, the carer can help with personal care, meals, mobility, appointments and everyday activities, including getting to college or work. The aim is to help them live as independently as possible while working towards their own goals.
From what age can you provide live-in care?
Our live-in care service is for adults aged 18 and over. Families often contact us before their son or daughter turns 18 to discuss the transition to adult services and plan ahead. We can talk through the options so there’s time to consider what support will be needed.
How is live-in care for young adults funded?
Funding depends on the young adult’s needs and where they live. Options may include council funding following a needs assessment, direct payments or self-directed support, NHS Continuing Healthcare for those who meet the eligibility criteria, and self-funding. The rules differ across England, Scotland and Wales. Visit our funding your care page or contact us to discuss the options.
Can a live-in carer support a young adult at college, university or work?
Yes. A carer can help with morning routines, personal care, travel and organisation, making it easier to attend college, university or work. The arrangements will depend on the young adult’s needs and what the education provider or employer can accommodate. It’s important to discuss any support required on campus or in the workplace before the course or job begins.
Can parents stay involved?
Yes, with the young adult’s agreement. Parents can take part in the care assessment, help discuss carer preferences, receive updates and attend care reviews. The aim is to respect the young adult’s choices while involving their family in a way that works for everyone.
Talk to us about your plans
Whether you’re preparing for the move to adult services or looking for a different care arrangement now, we’re happy to talk through your options.
Call Independent People Live-in Care on 0800 471 4741 or complete our enquiry form. We’ll listen to what you need, explain how live-in care works and help you decide whether it’s right for you.
