Question 1

What is an introductory care agency?

Accepted Answer

An introductory agency connects families with self-employed carers rather than employing carers directly. Hibant carefully vets carers, manages introductions, and supports both families and carers. Once care begins, the working relationship is directly between the carer and the family. This often means better continuity, fairer pay for carers, and a more personal arrangement.

Question 2

How do you find the right carer for us?

Accepted Answer

We do this personally. We take time to understand your situation, including the type of care needed, your location, your preferences, and what kind of person would feel right. We then identify carers from our approved pool who we feel could be a good match, and guide you through introductions before anything is decided.

Question 3

Can we meet a carer before committing?

Accepted Answer

Yes, always. We arrange introductory calls or video meetings so families can get a feel for a carer before making any decision. There is no commitment until it feels right to everyone involved.

Question 4

How are carers vetted?

Accepted Answer

All carers on Hibant must have a minimum of 2 years professional care experience, a Care Certificate dated within the last 3 years, a valid Enhanced DBS check, legal right to work in the UK, two professional care references, and appropriate self-employment insurance. Each carer is also reviewed personally by our team, many of whom have backgrounds in care themselves.

Question 5

What happens if a carer is unavailable or needs to cancel?

Accepted Answer

We understand that life happens. If your regular carer is unavailable, we will do our best to find appropriate cover and communicate with you as quickly as possible. We aim to minimise disruption, and we are always contactable.

Question 6

How does payment work?

Accepted Answer

Families pay in advance through our secure platform. Funds are held safely and released to the carer after care is confirmed as completed. This protects both parties and ensures carers are paid promptly.

Question 7

How much do carers earn?

Accepted Answer

Carers on Hibant set their own rates and keep 100% of what a family pays. Hibant takes no commission and no cut of care. The only deduction is the card-processing fee charged by our payment provider. In practice, carers on Hibant tend to earn in the region of £20 per hour, compared to the sector average of around £13. We believe that fair pay creates more consistent, more committed care.

Question 8

Is there a minimum number of hours?

Accepted Answer

Visiting care visits are a minimum of one hour. For regular ongoing care, we generally ask families to commit to a minimum of a few hours per week to ensure continuity for both the individual and the carer. Live-in care is typically arranged on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

Question 9

Can we change our carer if it is not working?

Accepted Answer

Yes. While we hope every match will be a good one, we understand that sometimes it is not quite right. Please talk to us. We will listen, understand what needs to be different, and find a better match.

Question 10

Are carers insured?

Accepted Answer

All carers on Hibant must hold appropriate self-employment insurance as part of our vetting requirements.

Question 11

What areas do you cover?

Accepted Answer

We currently operate across London, with plans to expand. If you are outside these areas, please contact us and we may still be able to help, or we can let you know as we grow.

Question 12

How quickly can care be arranged?

Accepted Answer

For non-urgent arrangements, we typically work within a week or two to ensure a good match is made. For urgent situations, contact us directly and we will do everything we can to respond as quickly as possible.

Question 13

What support does Hibant provide during care?

Accepted Answer

We are always here. Families and carers can contact us with questions, concerns, or changes. We check in periodically and are available to help resolve any issues that arise. Our goal is to support the relationship, not just arrange it.

Question 14

What does Hibant cost? What are the typical hourly rates?

Accepted Answer

Carers on Hibant set their own rates. Visiting care typically ranges from £18 to £22 per hour. Live-in care typically ranges from £1,150 to £1,400 per week including room and board. Specialist care (dementia, palliative, complex needs) may sit at the higher end. Hibant is free for families and carers to use, and takes no commission, so there are no agency mark-ups: what you pay is what your carer earns. In practice, families pay roughly 25 to 40 percent less than they would through a traditional care agency.

Question 15

Do you accept Direct Payments, NHS Continuing Healthcare, or Personal Health Budgets?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We work with families who fund care through Local Authority Direct Payments, NHS Continuing Healthcare Personal Health Budgets, SEND Direct Payments (for adults aged 18 and over), Power of Attorney arrangements, and self-funded budgets. We can issue council-friendly invoices for direct-payment claim-back, and our team will guide you through what each council or NHS team typically accepts.

Question 16

Do you match for language and cultural background?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and we actively encourage it. Many of our carers speak multiple languages, and we match for language and cultural fit. Carers in our network speak Bengali, Sylheti, Yoruba, Twi, Polish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Urdu, Tagalog, Spanish, French, Arabic, Somali, Tigrinya, Greek, Italian, Romanian, and others. Tell us the language preference at enquiry and we will only present carers who can genuinely communicate at the level needed.

Question 17

What is your cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

Bookings cancelled with at least 24 hours notice receive a full refund. Bookings cancelled with less than 24 hours notice may incur a charge to cover the carer's reserved time. For recurring care, you can cancel future bookings any time without penalty. Carer-side cancellations are managed by our team. We will arrange cover where possible, or refund you in full.

Question 18

What happens in an emergency or out of hours?

Accepted Answer

For genuine medical emergencies, always call 999. For urgent care arrangements outside business hours, you can email hello@hibantcare.com or text the number on your booking confirmation, and we will respond as soon as we are able. For non-urgent matters out of hours, please leave a message and we will reply the next working day. Carers do not handle clinical emergencies. They are trained to escalate to NHS services or to family contacts.

Question 19

How is Hibant different from a CQC-registered care provider?

Accepted Answer

CQC-registered providers employ carers directly and are responsible for delivering and supervising care. Hibant is an introductory agency, so we connect families with self-employed carers, but the working relationship and the care itself sits directly between the carer and the family. This often means lower cost, better continuity (the same carer keeps coming), and more flexibility (you direct the care, not us). It also means families take a slightly more active role in the relationship.

Question 20

What kinds of care do you not take on?

Accepted Answer

We are honest about our limits. We do not currently take on complex clinical care requiring registered nurses (ventilator support, PEG tube feeding, tracheostomy care), mental-health crisis or Mental Health Act detained care, residential children's services for under-14s, or detoxification programmes. We are happy to point you toward CQC-registered providers when these needs come up.

Question 21

What does live-in care actually involve, and what does the carer need?

Accepted Answer

A live-in carer stays in your loved one's home day and night, typically for one to two weeks at a time before rotating with another carer. The carer needs a private, lockable bedroom with a comfortable bed, reasonable break time during the day (typically two hours), access to food prep facilities, and Wi-Fi. Live-in care suits moderate support needs where waking-night care is not required. For waking-night care, we arrange a separate night carer.

Question 22

Can a Hibant carer come on holiday with us?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A Hibant carer can accompany you and your loved one on a UK break, a cruise, a wedding abroad, a Christmas visit to relatives, or a longer holiday. Most often arranged for people living with dementia, Parkinson's, MS, mobility needs, or recovery after a stroke or surgery. The carer charges their standard rate (typically £18 to £22 per hour for daytime support, or a live-in weekly rate of £1,150 to £1,400 if they are with you 24/7). On top of that, the family covers the carer's accommodation in a private room or cabin, meals, transport, and travel insurance. There are no agency mark-ups or booking fees. Tell us where you are going, how long for, and what level of help you need, and we will match a carer to the trip.

We are here to help.

Common questions

Send us a message

Or reach us directly