Personal care registration for homecare agencies
Evidence we need
This guidance is written for homecare agencies providing personal care only.
If you're also applying for treatment of disease, disorder or injury (TDDI):
- read the Scope of registration to check if you need to register for TDDI
- pay particular attention to the Treatment of disease, disorder or injury section in the scope guidance
- if you do need to register for TDDI, make sure your supporting documents provide information that is relevant to both TDDI and personal care
If you're planning to offer supported living services:
- your policies and procedures must be relevant to that service type.
- see the Housing with care guidance.
- If you wish to provide services for autistic people and people with a learning disability, you will need to evidence that you can meet the requirements of Right support right care right culture Please refer to our guidance - Services for autistic people and people with a learning disability: before you apply.
All other providers should read our Supporting documents: provider registration application guidance instead.
This information is for homecare agencies (also called domiciliary care agencies) that want to register to provide personal care. It tells you:
- what documents you need to include with your application.
- the standards they must meet for your application to be successful.
Supporting documents
All providers registering with us must submit the following supporting documents with their application:
- Consent policy and procedures
- Equality, diversity and human rights policy and procedures
- Governance policy and procedures
- Infection control policy and procedures
- Medicines management policy and procedures
- Recruitment policy and procedures
- Safeguarding policy and procedures
- Statement of purpose
- Complaints policy
You can find out more about what is needed for each one on our Provider supporting documents page.
Additional supporting documents for homecare providers
Additional Form for Providers of Personal Care
All homecare providers must also complete this form. It gives us additional information about your company, including how you have recruited your director(s), your nominated individual and your registered manager applicant. This is also your opportunity to show that you have carried out market research in your local area to evidence there is a local demand for your specific service.
You must complete all sections of this form in full. If you cannot answer some questions, you may need to do some additional research before you submit your application.
If you are registering as a homecare provider you must also submit the following supporting documents with your application:
Business plan and financial forecast
Why we want to see this evidence
Your business plan helps us check that your service will be financially stable and well-managed.
What to include
Your business plan should show us how you’ll meet the needs of the people who use your service.
You must include:
- a summary of your plan
- background information about your company
- details of your service
- market research
- who is responsible for each task
- your company structure
- financial forecasts
If your plan does not include enough detail your application may not be successful.
Summary of your plan
Tell us about your company’s background and experience with this type of service. Explain how this experience is relevant for providing personal care in people’s own homes. You should be clear about how your experience helps you meet the needs of people who will use your service.
About your company
Explain what your company does and how it stands out from your competitors.
Tell us about your management team's relevant experience and qualifications. We also want to know:
- why your team are suitable to manage the provision of personal care.
- how your team’s experience is appropriate for the people who will use your service.
Make sure this information relates to the service user bands you’ve selected in your application form.
Details of your service
Describe:
- the services you will provide
- how you will provide it
- who your service is for
- why your service will succeed in the local market
Tell us how you will charge for your service. Give us details of your pricing structure. For example:
- Will you charge by the hour, 45 minutes or 30 minutes?
- How will you charge for evenings and bank holidays?
- Will you charge the same for Local Authority and private funding?
- What will you charge for double-handed calls?
Market research
You must show us that you understand the local market and that there is demand for your service. (This information should be relevant to the service user bands you selected in your application).
Include:
- recent market research carried out in your local area
- how you did this research
- evidence of local demand for your specific service
- information about local competitors
- markets you plan to target in the future
- research that shows how you decided your pricing and staff pay
- strengths and weaknesses of your business
- potential opportunities and threats to your business
Staff responsibilities
List all the main tasks and roles in your service, and name the person responsible for each one. Every significant task must have someone specific assigned to it.
Company structure
Provide details of:
- your ownership structure, including investors
- your company's structure
This information must be accurate and reflect the actual structure and roles in place.
Financial information
Provide a monthly breakdown of income and expenses for your first 12 months of business.
Include all costs and income associated with providing and managing personal care in people’s homes.
Remember, your business plan should be supported by evidence and show how your service will remain financially viable.
Evidence of legal occupancy
Why we want to see this evidence
We need to confirm you have legal permission to use your premises. This helps us make sure your location is suitable for the service you want to provide.
What to include
You must provide evidence that you have legal permission to use your chosen location. If your application does not include this evidence, your application may not be successful.
The evidence you provide must:
- be valid at the time of your application
- clearly show you have legal permission to operate your service from this location
- include specific details about how the location is suitable for the type of service you plan to provide
Types of evidence we accept
Provide one of these documents:
- a copy of your title deeds (if you own the premises)
- a tenancy agreement
- a license agreement
If you don't fully own the premises, you must also provide written permission from either your landlord or mortgage provider.
Requirements for landlord or mortgage provider permission
The written permission must:
- clearly state that the property can be used for the type of service you plan to provide
- be signed and dated by your landlord or mortgage provider.
If the premises are owned by someone who isn't the provider or one of its directors (for example, a director's spouse or the registered manager), you must provide written permission from this person.
We cannot accept
- virtual offices
- PO Box addresses that do not have a full physical address
- mortgage statements without specific permission to operate a business
- general business use permission that doesn't mention your specific service type
How we assess your location
As part of our assessment of your application, we'll check that your location is suitable for your service type. We may ask you about:
- your office equipment
- accessibility
- meeting spaces
- how you'll maintain confidentiality
Related guidance
You can read our guidance on what a location is to understand how we define locations and the rules for identifying them.
Service user guide
Why we want to see this evidence
A good service user guide helps people understand what they can expect from your service. It helps them to make informed decisions and tells them how they can raise any concerns.
What to include
You must send us copies of any service user guides you have in place. If your guides do not include enough detail your application may not be successful.
Your user guide must be:
- specific to your business, and the services you want to provide
- suitable for people that will use your service.
Your service user guides should reflect the service user bands you told us about in your application form and Statement of purpose.
About your service
Your guide must clearly explain:
- what services you provide
- what services you do not or cannot offer
- how you decide if you can meet someone's needs.
Practical information
Explain how you:
- charge for your services
- monitor calls and make sure they happen on time
- handle complaints
- deal with safeguarding concerns
- set the contractual terms for your services.
Your guide must also include your contact details.
Staff training plan
Why we want to see this evidence
We need to be sure that you have identified the training your staff will need in order to provide safe, effective, and person-centred care in line with the aims and objectives you’ve told us about in your Statement of purpose.
Regulations you must follow
Your training plan should identify how you will meet the Care Certificate standards and should be aligned with statutory and regulatory requirements -
Your training plan should reflect the service user bands identified within your application form and Statement of purpose. For example, if you will be supporting people living with dementia, sensory impairments or mental health, your training plan must include appropriate specialist training for each.
You must make sure all staff are trained to an appropriate level in order to communicate and work with autistic people and people with a learning disability. This may be Oliver McGowan training but does not have to be. Your training plan must include this or an equivalent.
You may wish to look at the Skills for care website for information and advice about training and development options.
What to include
This document must include the following items. If it does not your application may not be successful.
Induction and mandatory training
Explain what your induction process includes and what training new staff will receive. Also, describe the mandatory training and how it meets your business needs.
Role-specific training
Describe the training each type of job role will get, including managers.
Specialist training
Let us know about any specialist training your staff will receive.
Training providers
Tell us the name of the training provider you plan to use for each topic.
Refresher training
Say how often refresher training will happen for each topic, if applicable.
Support for overseas workers
Explain any extra support such as a longer induction or language support if needed.
Insurance plan
Why we want to see this evidence
We need to be sure that you have insurance and suitable indemnity arrangements for the services you provide. These must cover potential liabilities arising from death, injury, or other causes, loss or damage to property, and other financial risks.
What to include
You may send copies of insurance policies, insurance quotations or letters of intent from insurance providers as evidence of your insurance and indemnity arrangements.
Any quotes must be within their expiry date when you submit your application.
You must send one of the following which should be specific to your service. If you do not, your application may be unsuccessful.
- Public Liability Insurance Certificate of insurance, or quote, where your service has no employees.
- Public and Employer Liability Insurance Certificate of insurance, or quote when both are covered by one document.
Documents we may ask for when we assess your application
We may also ask to see the following documents during our assessment of your application:
- Duty of candour policy
- Person centred care planning policy (PCCPP)
- Quality assurance policy
- Risk management policy