This is not medical advice. Big on Health is a UK review site. For health worries, speak to your GP, pharmacist, or NHS 111.

Families often choose between a care agency and a private carer found through a platform or a direct hire. This page sets out the practical differences in plain English. It is not a care agency, and it is not legal or financial advice.

Care agency

• Who you deal with. The agency employs or contracts the carers and usually manages rotas, training records, and cover when someone is ill.
• Best when. You want one organisation to handle backups, paperwork, and quality checks, and you are willing to pay for that coordination.
• Watch for. Minimum visit lengths, cancellation rules, and whether the same carer will visit regularly. Ask how CQC registration applies if the service is regulated.

Private carer (platform or direct hire)

• Who you deal with. You choose a person from profiles or from a personal recommendation. A listing platform may introduce you; you still agree the work yourself.
• Best when. You want continuity with one named person, flexible hours, or live-in arrangements that feel more household-based.
• Watch for. DBS, training, references, written agreements, and whether you are employing someone (tax, National Insurance, holiday pay) rather than buying a service from an agency. Get proper advice if you are unsure.

Quick comparison

• Backup cover: usually stronger with an agency; with a private carer you must plan cover yourself.
• Cost shape: agencies often quote hourly rates plus minimums; private carers may quote hourly, daily, or weekly (especially live-in).
• Control: private hire can feel more personal; an agency can feel more structured.

Checks that apply either way

Ask for recent DBS information, training that matches your needs, and references. Write down tasks, nights, pets, smoking rules, notice periods, and what happens if someone is ill. For interview ideas, see Questions to ask before you hire a private carer. For DBS in more detail, see DBS checks when hiring a private carer in the UK.

Also useful: Comparing care options in the UK and Live-in care in the UK.

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