Care finding and brokerage
Find care that fits the person, their needs and their budget
Finding care involves more than collecting names from a directory. Our care finding and brokerage service helps you turn an agreed care brief into a focused search, approach relevant providers and compare the available options. We help you understand suitability, availability, costs and the questions to resolve before an arrangement is agreed.
A defined provider search for adults and families across England and Wales. £400 + VAT. Scope and any additional work agreed before instruction.
At a glance
Who it is for
Adults, families and professionals arranging a care provider
Search types
Home care, live-in care and care home options, as agreed
Core deliverable
Provider options, comparison and next-step questions
Fee
£400 + VAT (£480 including VAT)
Coverage
England and Wales, within the agreed search area
£600 + VAT
Care finding and brokerage fee
A focused comparison of care options
What you receive
England and Wales
Coverage
One-off instruction
How the service is arranged
Understand the service
What is care finding and brokerage?
Care brokerage is practical help to identify and compare providers against an agreed description of the care needed. We help make the search more focused, gather useful information and explain the differences between available options so that you can make an informed choice.
Depending on the instruction, the search may cover home care, live-in care, residential care or nursing care. We agree the type of service, area, budget and key requirements before starting.
The starting point is the person and the care brief. If there is no reliable assessment of needs, we explain what must be clarified before a provider search can be useful. A separate assessment is not automatically included in the brokerage fee.
A shortlist is useful only if it fits the care brief
A provider being nearby or having a vacancy does not establish that it can meet someone’s needs. The comparison should make relevant gaps and unanswered questions visible before you commit.
When we can help
When would care finding and brokerage help?
You may know that care is needed but still be unsure whom to approach, which questions to ask or how to compare different offers. Families often need help finding home care, live-in support or a care home, particularly when arrangements must fit a specific location, routine or set of needs.
Brokerage is most useful when there is a sufficiently clear and current picture of the person’s needs. We review the available care brief before accepting the search. If key needs are unclear, we explain whether an assessment or review should come first and quote for any separate work.
You have a plan but need a provider
The required care is reasonably clear and you want help turning the plan into a practical search.
You are comparing care at home
Providers offer different visit times, tasks and charges, making like-for-like comparison difficult.
You are considering a care home
You need help identifying relevant homes and checking how their offers fit the person’s needs and preferences.
You live far from the person
You want a structured way to compare local options and avoid relying on a series of disconnected phone calls.
The current provider cannot continue
You need to understand alternative arrangements, availability and the questions involved in a handover.
There are specific requirements
The search needs to take account of communication, routines, location, specialist needs or other important preferences.
What we cover
What we agree before the search begins
A clear brief makes the search more useful. We confirm the requirements, information available and limits of the instruction before approaching providers.
The person’s care needs, priorities, preferences and the support to be provided
The type of care, preferred location, travel area and any relevant access requirements
Budget, expected care costs and the questions to clarify about extra charges
Provider availability, start-date requirements and whether an interim arrangement is needed
Relevant registration or inspection information, provider responses and the limits of those checks
How options will be compared, who will decide and what needs to happen before care starts
Need a clearer picture of the care required?
An independent care needs assessment or care review may be the better first step. We will tell you if the available information is not enough to support a meaningful provider search.
1
Provider checks and the care brief
We consider available regulatory information alongside the care brief and the provider’s responses. For regulated services, CQC information is relevant in England and Care Inspectorate Wales information in Wales. A published rating or inspection report is one part of the decision, not a guarantee of suitability.
The search is based on the agreed needs, preferences, area and budget.
Regulatory information and provider answers inform the comparison; they do not guarantee future performance.
The provider confirms that it can meet the person’s needs, its availability and the terms of the care contract.
The care decision and any funding approval remain with the person or responsible decision-maker and public body, as applicable.
2
Who decides and who provides care
The adult, or the person with the relevant authority where applicable, remains involved in choosing the arrangement. The provider must assess whether it can meet the person’s needs and agree its own terms. Our brokerage fee pays for the agreed search and comparison work; the provider’s care fees are separate.
Provider information: Care Quality Commission in England and Care Inspectorate Wales in Wales. Consent and decision-making: Mental Capacity Act 2005 and its Code of Practice where applicable.
Check CQC care service information or the Care Inspectorate Wales directory. For questions about decision-making, see the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice.
Rights and responsibilities
Informed choices and clear responsibilities
Agree the care brief
We review the available assessment or plan, clarify priorities and budget, and confirm the search scope and fee.
Identify and approach providers
We look for relevant options within the agreed area and ask about their service, suitability, availability and charges.
Compare the responses
We bring together the useful information, regulatory context and important differences, identifying gaps and unanswered questions.
Discuss the viable options
We help you understand the comparison and the further questions, visits or provider assessments needed to make a decision.
Clarify the next steps
We set out what must be confirmed before arrangements are made. The extent of booking or handover assistance is agreed in the written instruction.
How it works
How we help you find and compare care
Your involvement
A search shaped around the person
What matters to the adult should influence the brief, including familiar routines, relationships and preferences.
Practical preferences
We capture important details such as visit timing, location, communication and the way support is delivered.
Accessible choices
We explain the differences between options in clear language and identify where more information is needed.
Family involvement
We agree how relatives or representatives should contribute while keeping the adult’s views visible.
Clear decision-making
We clarify who is choosing the provider and who can agree contracts or funding, where someone is acting on the adult’s behalf.
Information we use
Information that helps the search
A concise, current care brief is more useful than an unstructured list of providers. We identify what is needed at the outset.
Assessment and care plan
The current description of needs, recommended tasks and the type or level of support required.
The person’s priorities
Preferences, routines, location and the outcomes that matter most to them.
Budget and funding arrangements
The budget available for care and any approvals or constraints that may affect the options.
Provider information
Responses about suitability, availability, fees, staffing arrangements and how the proposed care would work.
Regulatory information
Relevant published registration and inspection information, considered with its date and scope.
Existing arrangements and deadlines
Current contracts, planned changes and the practical timing of any transition, where relevant.
What you receive
What you receive from the search
We bring the agreed search and provider information together so you can compare the options and understand the remaining decisions. The number of viable options depends on the brief and local availability.
The agreed care brief, search area, priorities and scope
The information and assessment material used to guide the search
Provider options identified and responses obtained
The fit between each viable option and the agreed care requirements
Availability, indicative provider charges and any stated conditions
Relevant regulatory information and limitations of the checks
Unanswered questions and matters to confirm with shortlisted providers
Recommended next steps, responsibilities and any gaps in available options
Assessment option | Suitable for | What is included |
|---|---|---|
Care needs assessment and planning | When you need to establish the care required | Independent needs assessment £900 + VAT; assessment with a written care plan £1,100 + VAT; practical recommendations |
Care finding and brokerage | When the care brief is clear and you need a provider | Agreed provider search £400 + VAT; comparison of available options; provider care fees separate |
Independent care review | When care is in place and you want to check how it is working | One-off review £600 + VAT; written findings and recommendations; further work agreed separately |
For professional referrals
Instructing a search for someone you support
Attorneys, deputies, solicitors and other professionals can agree a defined provider search around an existing assessment or care plan.
Provide the care brief
Share the current plan, required support and any essential provider criteria.
Confirm budget and approvals
Explain the available budget and who can approve expenditure, select the provider and agree the care contract.
Identify the search boundaries
State the geographical area, preferred care setting, timetable and any special requirements.
Agree the deliverable
Confirm the information you need for your decision and the extent of any liaison or arrangement assistance.
Care finding and brokerage
£600 + VAT
- A provider search against an agreed care brief
- Relevant provider enquiries and comparison
- Consideration of available regulatory information
- A clear record of options, gaps and next steps
Suitable when care needs are sufficiently clear and you need help finding a provider.
Additional work, if required
£3,500 + VAT
- A new or updated care needs assessment
- Work beyond the agreed search scope
- Further liaison, travel or a separate care review
- Provider care charges are paid separately
Any extra scope and fee must be agreed before that work begins.
Clear fees
A clear fee for a defined care search
Care finding and brokerage is £400 + VAT (£480 including VAT). We confirm the search area, care requirements, deliverables and any limits before instruction. Provider care fees, assessments, travel where applicable and additional search work are separate.
For adults and families
You get a clearer comparison of the options and the questions to ask before agreeing care, with a defined scope and fee.
For professional referrers
The brief, provider information, limitations and next steps are recorded so you can understand the basis for the comparison.
Choose your support
A care search informed by social work knowledge
We look at provider options in the context of the person’s needs and the practical support they require.
Why choose Nellie Supports
A clear care brief
The search starts with the person’s needs, preferences and budget.
Useful comparisons
We help identify material differences in provider offers, including what is and is not covered.
An established social work practice
Your instruction is supported by a permanent employed team and shared professional standards.
Transparent limitations
We explain when availability is restricted or the information is insufficient to recommend a next step.
A defined piece of work
The search area, deliverable and any further work are agreed in advance.
A route to the right support
If an assessment, review or separate specialist opinion is needed first, we explain why.
The situation
An adult has an up-to-date care assessment and wants support at home. Their family lives elsewhere and is struggling to compare agencies with different visit arrangements and charges.
How the service could help
We agree the care brief and budget, approach relevant providers and compare their responses, including the tasks covered, availability, continuity and additional charges.
The useful next step
The adult and family can discuss the viable options with a clearer set of questions. A provider still needs to assess the person and confirm its offer before care can begin.
Illustrative example only. This is not a client testimonial or a promise of a particular outcome.
How this could help
Questions answered
Your questions answered
How much does care finding and brokerage cost?
The fee is £400 + VAT (£480 including VAT) for the agreed search. The written instruction confirms what is included. Provider care charges, travel where applicable, additional searches and any separate assessment are not included.
Can you help find care at home, live-in care or a care home?
Yes, the instruction can focus on those types of care where appropriate to the person’s needs. We agree which type of service and geographical area the search will cover.
Do I need a care assessment before asking you to find providers?
There needs to be enough current information to define the required care. An existing assessment or care plan may be suitable. If needs are unclear, we explain whether a separate assessment or review should come first.
How many providers will you find?
There is no guaranteed number. It depends on the requirements, location, budget and availability. We agree a proportionate search and explain if few or no viable options are identified.
Can you guarantee a provider or a start date?
No. Providers must confirm availability and assess whether they can meet the person’s needs. We help explore the options, but a place or start date is not guaranteed by the brokerage service.
Are provider fees included in the £400 fee?
No. Our fee covers the agreed brokerage work. The care provider charges separately for its care, and its terms, extra charges and notice arrangements should be confirmed before an agreement is made.
Do you check inspection information?
We consider relevant published regulatory information for the service alongside provider responses and the care brief. Inspection information is useful context, but it cannot guarantee that a provider will suit a particular person or predict future performance.
Will you arrange visits and sign the provider contract for us?
We agree the extent of practical liaison and arrangement help in writing. Visits and provider assessments may still be needed. The care contract is agreed by the person with authority to do so; brokerage does not give us that authority.
Does this include managing the care afterwards?
No. This is a defined search and arrangement instruction. It does not include ongoing case management, supervision of care workers or continuous monitoring. An independent care review can be commissioned separately.
Can you help if hospital discharge is approaching?
Tell us the proposed discharge date and the care brief as early as possible. We confirm whether the search is feasible within the available time. The hospital, council, NHS and provider retain their respective responsibilities for discharge and care arrangements.
Where do you cover?
Assessments are carried out across England and Wales, at home, in care settings, in hospital or remotely where appropriate. Travel is charged at £40 per hour and confirmed before booking.
Who will carry out the assessment?
A registered professional from our permanent, employed team, which includes Social Work England and Social Care Wales registered social workers and a Chartered Psychologist (BPS). Every report is peer reviewed by a second qualified professional before delivery.
Find the right specialist support
Choose the type of professional help that fits the problem you need to solve.
Who pays for care fees?
Funding questions to consider before committing to a care arrangement.
CHC and hospital discharge
Care and funding questions that may arise around discharge.
Residence capacity versus care capacity
Understand the distinct decisions involved in choosing where and how to receive care.
Practical guidance
Guides to choosing and arranging care
Care needs assessments and care planning
Establish the required care and a practical brief before searching.
Independent care reviews
Check how an existing care package is working.
Capacity for residence decisions
A separate assessment where the person’s capacity to choose where to live is in question.
Other services that may help
Talk to Nellie Supports
Tell us what care you are trying to find
Tell us the location, type of support, budget and any deadline, and whether there is a current assessment or care plan. We will confirm whether brokerage is the right next step and set out the search scope and fee.
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