About Paid Help
Getting the right paid help
Ask to see the relevant evidence.
Businesses listed on Paid Help at Home commit to providing evidence such as DBS checks, insurance, references and HMRC registration. You should always satisfy yourself that a business is suitable for the support you want and ask to see documents that are important for your needs.
See our checklist for choosing a paid service safelyI am looking for paid help
Find out more about the support available and how to choose a business that is right for you.
What kind of help can I find?
Small local businesses offering help at home: personal care, home help, companionship and independence, support for learning disability and autism, mental health and wellbeing, and garden, trades and property services.
What is a small local care business / Community Micro-enterprise?
A small business, often just one person, offering care or support in its local area. Businesses on Paid Help have 8 or fewer staff and volunteers.
Can I use Paid Help if I receive a Direct Payment?
Each listing says whether the business accepts Direct Payments. If you are not sure, ask the business before you agree to anything.
How do I choose a business?
Search for the help you need, then compare the listings. Each one shows prices, when the business works and the checks it says it holds. Talk to more than one business before you decide.
What should I check before paying someone?
Ask to see evidence of DBS checks, insurance, references and HMRC registration. If a listing shows a Buy With Confidence membership, follow the link to check it. See our checklist.
Does Frontline recommend or guarantee the businesses listed?
No. A listing on Paid Help is not a recommendation or a guarantee. Businesses tell us which checks they hold, and you should always ask to see the evidence yourself.
How do I contact a business?
Use Send an enquiry on the business's page, or the phone number and email address in its contact details.
I run a small local business
Find out more about joining the directory and managing your service.
What will I need to provide?
Evidence of DBS checks, insurance, references and HMRC registration, and your prices.
Who can join?
Sole traders and companies offering help at home, with 8 or fewer staff and volunteers.
What happens after I apply?
An administrator at Essex County Council checks your details before your listing appears.
About Frontline
Paid Help at Home is part of Frontline and is run by Frontline Referrals Ltd. It helps people in Over here find local businesses offering paid support at home and in the community.
Policies and important information
Contact us
Get in touch through our contact page.
Choosing a paid service safely
- Ask to see a current DBS certificate for everyone who will come to your home.
- Ask to see proof of insurance.
- Ask for references, and follow them up.
- Check the business is registered with HMRC.
- Agree what will be done, when, and the price, before any work starts.