Helping at Home was set up to do one thing well: help people stay in their own homes, for as long as they choose to.
We’re based in Newark and care for clients across Nottinghamshire, from Southwell to Grantham, Ollerton to Retford and the villages in between. Our Registered Manager, Courtney Pike, oversees every care plan. The Care Quality Commission rates us Good. On homecare.co.uk, families give us 9.9 out of 10.
The process starts the same way for everyone: a first conversation, then an assessment, then a care plan agreed at a pace that suits the client and their family. Nothing is rushed. Nothing is assumed.
Where the idea came from
Every business has a reason to exist. Ours has two names: Ken and Doris.
Ken was Andy’s role model, who lifted a room, treated everyone with respect and found warmth in all he did. Doris was the one who made sure things were done properly, first time, every time. Between them they set a standard, and Helping at Home is our attempt to carry it forward.
That isn’t a marketing line. When a difficult question comes up, the test is straightforward: would Ken think it was right, and would Doris say it was done properly? It might be how to handle a complaint, whether a rota is good enough, or whether a carer is being treated fairly.
What we hold ourselves to
Four commitments flow from that standard.
- Trust first. Clients and their families should always know who is coming, why and what to expect. The carer at the door is someone we’ve employed, trained and know by name.
- The client’s choices lead. Every care plan is built around what the client wants, not what’s most convenient to arrange. Courtney meets every new client before care begins.
- Carers are treated well. We pay above the Real Living Wage, cover training costs and keep care teams small and consistent. Good care starts with carers who feel respected.
- Always looking to do better. The CQC rates us Good. We want to earn that rating at every inspection.
What that looks like in practice
No agency staff. Every carer is directly employed by Helping at Home, trained by us and accountable to us. The person who comes to your Mum or Dad’s home is someone we know.
Familiar faces. We keep each client’s care team as small as possible, ideally no more than four carers, because the person at home seeing the same face each visit matters more than most things. Read more on our familiar carers page.
A local team. We’re based at 65 London Road, not a distant head office. When you call, you reach the people who actually plan and deliver the care.
Independently regulated. The Care Quality Commission inspects our service and publishes its findings. You can read our CQC profile any time.
Your information, protected. Caring for someone at home means holding sensitive information about them, so we meet the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit standard for handling health and care data. Our 2025-26 assessment is published as Standards Met, which you can verify on the NHS toolkit.
The team
The day-to-day is run by a small, named team: Andy Griffin (Director), Courtney Pike (Registered Manager), Megan Williams (Deputy Manager) and Charlotte Offord (Care Co-ordinator). Several of them started as carers and progressed with training we funded. Meet the full team.
Where we work
We provide care in Newark, Grantham, Bingham, Retford, Ollerton and Southwell, and the villages around them. If you’re unsure whether we reach your area, the quickest thing is to call and ask.
Common questions
Is Helping at Home family-run?
Yes. Helping at Home is a family-run provider based in Newark-on-Trent, built around the values of Andy’s grandparents, Ken and Doris. The day-to-day care is delivered by a directly employed local team. Independent. Not a franchise, not a national chain.
What areas do you cover?
We provide care in Newark, Grantham, Bingham, Retford, Ollerton and Southwell, and the surrounding villages. If you’re unsure whether we reach your area, call us on 01636 646915.
Is Helping at Home regulated?
Yes. We’re regulated by the Care Quality Commission and currently rated Good. You can read the full provider profile on the CQC website.
Do you use agency carers?
No. Every carer is directly employed by Helping at Home. The people supporting your family member are known to us, trained by us and accountable to us.
