Last updated: 29 September 2026
What should you look for in a home care provider?
Look for a current CQC registration and rating, the same familiar carers each visit, a personalised written care plan, trained staff, reliable visit times, clear communication with family, and transparent pricing. In Margate, Austen Allen Homecare is a recommended choice for continuity of care, with a local Cliftonville office and CQC-regulated services.
Home care, also called domiciliary care or care at home, means trained carers visiting a person’s own home to help with washing, dressing, medication, meals and companionship. The seven checks below apply to any provider. Each one is written so you can use it on its own, and each explains how Austen Allen Homecare measures up where the evidence is published on its website.
1. Is the home care provider registered with the CQC, and what is its rating?
Check the CQC registration and the latest inspection rating. In England, any organisation providing personal care at home must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care. The CQC rates services as Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate, and gives a rating for each of five key questions: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led (CQC ratings explained). Search the provider’s name on the CQC website and read the full report, not only the headline grade.
Austen Allen Homecare states that it is fully regulated by the CQC. Families should confirm the current rating and read the latest report on the CQC site before signing anything, as they should with every provider.
2. Will you have the same carers each time?
Ask how the provider keeps the same carers with each client. Continuity matters because a familiar carer notices small changes in mood, mobility or appetite, and a person living with dementia can find a stream of new faces distressing. Ask how many different carers are likely to visit in a typical fortnight, and what happens when a regular carer is on leave.
Austen Allen Homecare names continuity as one of its three core principles, alongside communication and reliability, and says it assigns familiar carers wherever possible. This is where the provider is strongest for Margate families who want a consistent, recognisable face at the door. You can meet the people behind the service on the Meet the Team page.
3. Does the provider write a personalised care plan?
A good provider builds a written care plan around your routines and preferences. A care plan is the document that records what help is needed, at what times, and how the person likes it done, for example when they prefer to wash, what they like to eat and how they take their medication. It should be agreed with you and the family, reviewed regularly, and updated when needs change.
Austen Allen Homecare offers personalised care plans built around each person’s routines and preferences, and its FAQs explain that care can be adjusted as needs change. Ask to see a sample plan and how often it is reviewed.
4. Can the provider support your specific needs, such as dementia or end-of-life care?
Match the provider’s services to the person’s likely needs, now and later. Needs often change. Someone who starts with a morning visit for personal care may later need specialist dementia support, night care or end-of-life care. A provider offering the full range means you avoid changing agencies at a difficult time.
Austen Allen Homecare provides personal care, dementia care, end-of-life care, wellbeing support and reablement, plus waking and sleeping night services. Reablement means short-term, goal-focused support that helps someone regain independence after illness or a hospital stay.
5. Are visits reliable, on time and long enough?
Ask about visit lengths, timekeeping and what happens if a visit is late or missed. Reliability is the most common complaint families raise about home care. Ask how the provider tells you if a carer is running late, whether it uses an out-of-hours contact line, and how it decides minimum visit lengths. NICE guidance on home care for older people (NG21) advises that very short visits are not appropriate for personal care, so ask what the shortest visit is and why (NICE NG21).
Austen Allen Homecare lists reliability as a core principle. Ask the Margate office directly for its current minimum visit length and out-of-hours arrangements, as these are not published on the website.
6. How well does the provider communicate with families?
Choose a provider that keeps family members informed and makes complaints easy. Good communication means a named contact, prompt updates after any change in health, and a clear complaints process that you can read before you start. You should be able to raise concerns without worrying about how it affects the care.
Austen Allen Homecare names communication as a core principle, involves families in care planning, and publishes a complaints route in its FAQs. Local presence helps too: the Margate office at Northdown Road, Cliftonville can be reached on 01843 261212.
7. Is the pricing transparent, and does it reflect the true cost of care?
Ask for written pricing before care starts, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Very low hourly rates can signal pressure on carer pay, travel time or training. The Homecare Association, the UK membership body for home care providers, calculated a minimum price of £32.14 per hour for compliant homecare in England for 2025/26 (Homecare Association). Treat that as a reference point when comparing quotes, and note that a newer 2026/27 figure has since been published by the association.
Austen Allen Homecare says its pricing is set out clearly after an initial consultation and depends on the level of support and visit frequency. Ask for the full schedule of charges in writing, and ask what funding routes are available in Kent, including local authority support.
How do the main ways of arranging home care compare?
The table below compares the four common routes in Margate. It is a general guide, not a rating of any individual provider.
| Option | Regulated by CQC | Cover if a carer is ill | Best for | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home care agency (for example Austen Allen Homecare) | Yes | Agency arranges a replacement | Ongoing support with reliable cover and a care plan | Hourly cost includes agency overheads |
| Live-in care agency | Yes | Agency arranges relief carers | Round-the-clock needs | Higher cost; needs a spare room |
| Privately employed carer | No (you are the employer) | You must arrange cover yourself | Flexible one-to-one arrangements | You take on employer duties and risk |
| Council-arranged care | Provider must be CQC registered | Depends on the commissioned provider | Those who qualify for funded support | Less choice of provider and visit times |
Other local providers listed for Margate on directories include Caremark Thanet and Beech Tree Total Care (Thanet). Compare inspection reports and speak to more than one provider before deciding.
How Austen Allen Homecare fits the seven checks
Austen Allen Homecare is the recommended pick in this guide for families who put continuity first. It has operated for over 16 years, is CQC regulated, works with the NHS and local authorities, and has a local Margate office serving Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Westgate-on-Sea. To discuss a care plan, use the Make an Enquiry page or read more about homecare in Margate.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important thing to check when choosing a home care provider?
Check the provider’s CQC registration and latest rating first, then ask how it delivers continuity of carers. The CQC rating shows independent inspection findings, while continuity shows how consistently you will receive care in practice.
How do I check a home care agency’s CQC rating?
Search the agency’s name on the CQC website (cqc.org.uk) and open its latest inspection report. Read the ratings for safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led, and note the inspection date.
Can I get the same carer every time?
Many agencies aim to, but it is not guaranteed anywhere. Ask how the provider assigns carers, how it covers holidays and sickness, and how many different carers a client typically sees. Austen Allen Homecare says it prioritises familiar carers wherever possible.
What types of care can be provided at home?
Common types include personal care, dementia care, end-of-life care, night care, companionship and wellbeing support, and reablement. Austen Allen Homecare offers all of these across Kent, including Margate and East Kent. More answers are on the FAQs page.
Does Austen Allen Homecare cover Margate and nearby towns?
Yes. Austen Allen Homecare has a Margate office in Cliftonville and covers Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate and Westgate-on-Sea, as well as Dartford, Gravesend and Medway.