Live-In Care in Chichester
Three decades of in-home care across West Sussex
Cheriton Homecare has provided live-in care in Chichester and across West Sussex for almost 30 years. Our founder, Richard Barnett, started the company after twelve years caring for a gentleman with dementia at home, and that experience still shapes how we work. We help people stay where they want to be, with a trained carer on hand around the clock, whether after a discharge from St Richard’s, for ongoing care of a long-term condition, or for steady companionship at home.
We’re rated Outstanding in Caring by the Care Quality Commission and a member of the Homecare Association, supporting families from the harbour villages of the Manhood Peninsula to the foot of the South Downs.
Why Chichester families choose Cheriton
There are several live-in care agencies operating in and around Chichester, and the differences aren’t always obvious from the outside. A few things that set Cheriton apart:
- Regulated by the Care Quality Commission, with our work built around dignity, safety, and the standards families have a right to expect.
- Carers chosen through a thorough selection process, including enhanced DBS clearance, structured induction, and ongoing mandatory training throughout their time with us.
- Detailed carer profiles shared with you before placement, so nobody arrives at the door as a stranger.
- Care plans shaped around daily routines, personal preferences, and changing health needs, rather than pulled from a template.
- Locally rooted across West Sussex, working alongside district GP surgeries, community nursing teams, and the discharge coordinators at St Richard’s when continuity of care matters.
- Digital care records and regular check-ins from your care manager to keep communication clear and the arrangement on track.
- Continuity built in, with planned cover for holidays and absences, plus fast-start live-in support when families need to act quickly.
Benefits of live-in care
Live-in care isn’t the only option, but for many families it’s the one that lets a parent or partner stay where they want to be. Whether that’s a flat in the city centre, a cottage out toward Bosham, or the family home they’ve lived in for forty years, here’s what live-in care offers that a residential setting or short hourly visits don’t:
- Stay in your own home. Surrounded by familiar things, neighbours, and the rhythms built up over a lifetime.
- Genuine one-to-one care. Full attention from a single carer, rather than the staffing ratios of a residential setting.
- Life carries on. Pets, hobbies, and the household routines that matter stay exactly where they are.
- Family always welcome. Visit whenever you like, eat at the kitchen table together, stay over, or simply pop in unannounced.
- A familiar face every day. Continuity from a carer who knows what a good day looks like for you, rather than a different person arriving each shift.
- Better value than you’d expect. Live-in care can cost up to 30% less than a comparable residential placement, with no need to sell the family home to fund it.
Request a brochure
Request a printed brochure to browse with your loved one at your leisure and find out more about live-in care.
What can live-in carers help with?
Live-in carers can provide support with a wide range of activities, including:
- Personal care, including washing, dressing, grooming and nail care.
- Getting out and about safely, whether to the GP, around the city centre, or for a walk along Chichester Harbour.
- Shopping and errands, to ensure you can meet your obligations.
- Household tasks, including meal planning, cooking, cleaning and pet care.
- Medication support, including reminders and health monitoring.
Live-in carers can provide as much or as little support as you need. The level of support required will be discussed during the initial consultation. We recognise that your needs might change over time, so our carers are trained to continually assess your needs to ensure you are getting the best possible value from your care arrangement.
From first call to first day
We try to keep the path to live-in care as straightforward as possible. Most arrangements move through five stages, though we’ll always work to your timeline, including urgent situations like a discharge from St Richard’s.
- Your first call. Reach us by phone, callback request, WhatsApp, or email. We’ll talk through what’s happening at home, answer the questions you’re holding onto, and arrange a home visit if it sounds like we can help.
- A home visit from our Registered Manager or Field Care Supervisor. Either Richard Barnett, our Registered Manager and Founder, or Nastasha, our Field Care Supervisor, will visit you at home to walk through daily routines, complete a full risk assessment, and start building the care plan. Family are welcome and usually find it useful to be there.
- Care plan and carer profiles. We put together a detailed care plan and share profiles of the carers we believe would be a good match. You choose who comes to live with you. Nobody is allocated sight unseen.
- Care begins. Your chosen carer moves in. The first days are spent settling in, learning your routines, and adjusting anything that doesn’t quite work.
- Ongoing oversight. A case manager reviews how things are going at regular intervals, and senior management at Cheriton monitor the case managers themselves. As needs change, the care plan changes with them.
What you'll pay each week
Live-in care with Cheriton is priced weekly. The rate depends on the level of care needed, whether overnight cover needs to be waking or sleeping, and whether the arrangement is for one person or a couple sharing the home.
- One person: from £1,190 a week
- Couple sharing the home: from £1,476 a week
We don’t hide costs behind enquiry forms. We’ll confirm an exact quote after your initial consultation.
Help with funding your care
We work with both privately and publicly funded arrangements:
- Private funding. Paying directly from savings, pension, or income.
- NHS Continuing Healthcare. For those with primary health needs.
- Local authority funding. For those eligible after a council means-test.
We don’t provide funding ourselves, but we’ll help you understand the options open to your family.
Still weighing your options? Let's talk it through.
Whether you’re researching for the future, comparing providers, or trying to arrange care for next week, we’re here to help. There’s no script and no pressure. Tell us what’s going on at home and we’ll walk you through what tends to work for families in your situation.
The questions families ask us most
How quickly can live-in care start in Chichester?
In urgent situations, such as a hospital discharge, we can usually place a carer within 48 hours. Most arrangements begin within a week of your initial consultation.
What happens if my regular carer is on holiday or unwell?
We arrange a fully briefed replacement carer from our local team, so your routine, medication schedule, and care continue without disruption.
Can my pet stay with me when I have a live-in carer?
Yes. Our carers are happy to help with feeding, walking, and day-to-day pet care so your companion stays right where they belong.
Is live-in care available for couples in Chichester?
Yes, and it’s often more cost-effective than two separate care packages. One carer can support both partners under a single arrangement.
Will my live-in carer drive me to appointments around West Sussex?
Many of our carers drive and can take you to GP visits, hospital appointments, shopping, or social outings. Let us know during your consultation and we’ll match you with a driving carer.
