How to get clients for your care business
Care agencies win clients through three channels: council care packages, NHS referrals and private families who pay for their own care. The agencies that grow fastest build all three, with professionals who refer to them and a Google presence that turns searches into calls.
Care Sync Experts runs client acquisition for domiciliary care, supported living and other care providers across England.
We build the marketing, the referral relationships and the commissioning routes you need to grow your client base steadily.
Getting clients is the biggest challenge for new and growing care businesses. Good policies, a strong team and a great CQC rating only pay off with a steady flow of referrals.
£34.42Minimum price per hour of homecare, 2026/27Homecare Association
£25.37Average council rate per hourHomecare Association, Oct 2026
77%of community care users are state-fundedONS
1,200+Care providers we have supportedCare Sync Experts
Where do care agency clients come from?
Know who pays before you spend a pound on marketing. Each channel has different gatekeepers, different rates and a different way in.
- Domiciliary care: 23.5% self-funders
- South East: 33.2% self-funders
- North East: 16.2% self-funders
- Supported living and extra care: 10.7%
Local authority
Most of the market
- Who buys
- Council adult social care teams, for people assessed as eligible under the Care Act 2014
- How you get in
- Approved provider lists, frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems, spot purchasing and tenders
- What it pays
- Average £25.37 an hour in England, set by each council
NHS
Complex and urgent care
- Who buys
- Integrated Care Boards for NHS Continuing Healthcare, plus hospital discharge and community teams
- How you get in
- Your ICB's Continuing Healthcare framework, and relationships with discharge coordinators
- What it pays
- Set by each ICB, and often linked to complexity of need
Private families
Your highest margin
- Who buys
- The person, or more often their adult children, paying from their own money
- How you get in
- Google, reviews, care directories and recommendations from professionals
- What it pays
- Your own price, which should cover your full cost (the minimum price is £34.42)
Supported living placements come almost entirely from council learning disability and mental health teams. Supported accommodation for 16 and 17 year olds, registered with Ofsted, is placed by council children's services.
Getting on local authority approved provider lists
For most new agencies, getting onto the council's list is the step that turns a registration into regular referrals. Councils buy homecare in four main ways, and each opens at a different time.
- 1Opens at set times
Approved provider list or framework
Any provider meeting the criteria can join when the list opens. Packages are then offered to listed providers.
- 2Join any time
Dynamic purchasing system or dynamic market
A framework that stays open, so you can apply whenever you are ready. New ones under the Procurement Act 2023 are called dynamic markets.
- 3When they need capacity
Spot purchasing
The council calls providers for one package at a time, often for urgent or hard to place care.
- 4Fixed deadlines
Competitive tender
Bids scored on quality, price and social value, usually for a zone or a block of hours.
Where to find opportunities
- Your council's procurement portal and supplier registration
- Find a Tender, the government's platform for public contract notices
- Your council's market position statement, which says where it needs capacity
- Provider forums and commissioner briefings run by the council
Tip: ask the commissioning team when the list next opens and to add you to their provider mailing list, so you never miss a window.
What councils ask you to show
- CQC registration, and your rating once you have one
- Employers' liability, public liability and professional indemnity insurance
- Financial information, such as accounts or management accounts
- Safe recruitment, training and supervision procedures
- Safeguarding policies and a named lead
- A quality assurance system with audits and action plans
- References from clients or commissioners
Building NHS referral relationships
NHS referrals suit agencies that can start quickly, support people home from hospital or meet complex needs. They come from four places, and each has its own gatekeeper.
Hospital discharge teams
Who to reach
Discharge coordinators and transfer of care hubs
What they need from you
Providers who can start within days, cover the person's area and take on care after a hospital stay
Community health teams
Who to reach
District nurses, community matrons and specialist nurses
What they need from you
Carers who can follow a care plan, spot changes and report them back promptly
GP practices and primary care networks
Who to reach
Practice managers and social prescribing link workers
What they need from you
A trusted local service to point patients and families to, with clear prices and a fast response
NHS Continuing Healthcare
Who to reach
Your Integrated Care Board's Continuing Healthcare team
What they need from you
Providers on their framework or approved list who can meet complex health needs safely
How to open NHS referral routes
- 1Find your ICB and the transfer of care hub at your local hospital
- 2Ask the ICB's commissioning team how it buys Continuing Healthcare packages
- 3Book short introductions with discharge coordinators and district nurse leads
- 4Meet GP practice managers and ask for an introduction to their social prescribing link worker
- 5Leave a one-page summary: areas covered, start times, specialisms and a direct number
- 6Follow up every referral, and report back on how the person is doing
How to attract private home care clients
Private families pay your own rate and expect more choice and flexibility in return. Most start online, so win them at each step from the first search to the first visit.
- Step 1
Search
Types "home care near me" or "carers in" their town
You needA complete Google Business Profile and a website page for each town you cover
- Step 2
Shortlist
Compares reviews, CQC ratings and prices
You needRecent, detailed reviews on Google and homecare.co.uk, and your rating on show
- Step 3
Check
Reads your website on a phone, often late at night
You needClear services, prices, areas, real team photos and an easy way to enquire
- Step 4
Call
Often rings more than one agency the same day
You needA warm, informed answer every time, and a call back within the hour if you miss one
- Step 5
Visit
Meets you at home to decide
You needA home assessment booked within days, then a written plan and price
Six fixes that bring more private enquiries
- Fill in every field of your Google Business Profile, with photos of your team
- Ask happy families for a review at the moment they thank you
- Show your prices, or a clear starting price, on your website
- Build a page for each town and area you cover
- List on homecare.co.uk and keep your profile complete
- Track every enquiry and where it came from
Google Ads can add enquiries quickly when they target your exact postcodes. Start small, measure the cost of each enquiry and grow what works.
How your CQC rating affects client acquisition
You must show your rating at your premises and on every website you run within 21 days of it being published. In Wales, Care Inspectorate Wales has published ratings since April 2025.
Stay inspection ready with compliance managementCommissioners
Councils and ICBs check ratings before placing packages. Some will not place new work with services rated Requires improvement or Inadequate.
Families
Families look up your rating before they call. A Good or Outstanding badge on your website and Google profile wins the shortlist.
New providers
You are unrated until CQC first assesses you. Build evidence from your first client so your first rating helps you win work.
Who refers clients to home care agencies
Relationships with these eight groups are the most reliable long term source of clients. Each one needs to know what you cover, how fast you can start and how to reach you.
Adult social care
Social workers and care coordinators in council adult social care teams
Hospitals
Discharge coordinators and transfer of care hubs
Community health
District nurses, community matrons and specialist nurses
Primary care
GP practice managers and social prescribing link workers
- You
Your agency at the centre
One clear message for every referrer: areas, start times, specialisms and a direct number
Therapists
Occupational therapists and physiotherapists
Legal
Solicitors acting as deputies or attorneys, and Court of Protection work
Housing
Housing association, sheltered and extra care scheme teams
Charities
Voluntary groups supporting older people, carers and disabled people
How to build these relationships
Host a monthly community session
Pick topics families worry about, like falls prevention or living with dementia, and co-host with a social prescribing link worker. Same day and time every month.
Partner with Safe and Well teams
Fire and rescue services visit older people at home for safety checks and refer on to local services. Introduce yourself and offer to co-host a session.
Work with local pharmacies
Pharmacists see who is struggling with medicines every week. Offer a joint talk on staying safe with medication at home.
Choose events with care
Health and wellbeing fairs, carers week and dementia awareness events bring the right audience. Bring real carers, not just leaflets.
Visit in person
A short visit to a ward coordinator or GP practice manager can open a referral route that lasts for years. Leave a one-page summary.
Ask families at the right moment
When a family thanks a carer, ask for a review or a recommendation. A short video testimonial builds more trust than any leaflet.
Offline still works
- Flyers at GP surgeries, pharmacies, libraries and places of worship
- Community magazines and parish newsletters
- Branded cars that are seen on every visit
How much should a care agency charge per hour?
Price too high and you lose council work. Price too low and you cannot pay carers properly or stay in business. Start from what an hour really costs to deliver.
National Living Wage, the carer's contact pay
£12.71Average council rate, Greater London
£22.66Average council rate, England
£25.37Homecare Association minimum price
£34.42
None of the 176 council contracts the Homecare Association studied met the minimum price, and 61% paid less than the direct cost of employing a careworker on the National Living Wage. A contract at a loss is worse than no contract.
What your price must cover
Staffing is at least 75% of the cost of homecare, so every rise in the wage floor moves your whole price.
- Carers' pay for contact time, travel time, waiting and training
- Employer National Insurance (15%), pension and holiday pay
- Mileage for carers who drive between visits
- Recruitment, training, supervision and spot checks
- Office, care planning software and phones
- CQC fees, insurance and other compliance costs
- A margin that keeps the business going
Pricing private care
You set your own private rate. Work out your full cost per delivered hour, add your margin and charge more for evenings, weekends and bank holidays, and for short visits, which cost more per hour because of travel.
Be open about prices on your website or on the first call. Families shortlist the agencies that are clear about cost.
The floor to price from
£34.42 an hour
Getting your first clients after CQC registration
From the Care Sync Experts YouTube channel, where we answer the questions new providers ask us most.
CQC registered but no clients? Here's what real providers are doing
Millie from Care Sync Experts walks through the strategies newly registered providers are using to win their first clients, from community sessions with NHS partners to Google reviews and video testimonials.
In this video
- 01Monthly themed community sessions co-hosted with social prescribing link workers
- 02Fire and rescue Safe and Well teams as referral partners
- 03Choosing community events and care shows worth your budget
- 04Google Business Profile reviews and a complete homecare.co.uk listing
- 05Partnerships with pharmacies, estate agents and faith communities
- 06Video testimonials from families
Why most home care agencies struggle to find clients
Your website, local SEO, care directories, social media and referrals from health professionals, and the subscription costs to watch.
How to make your home care agency stand out
Defining what makes you different, building a brand families trust, and using reviews and community work to rise above competitors.
Buying a CQC registered care business instead
Buying a running service brings its clients, carers and contracts with it. CQC calls this a sale and transfer, and it lets care continue at the same location while the provider changes.
- 1
Both providers apply together
The outgoing and incoming providers apply at around the same time. A new provider completes the provider application form with the business's provider ID; an existing provider adds the location, updates its Statement of Purpose and sends the insurance and sector forms.
- 2
CQC links the applications
CQC assesses both applications together, so care carries on at the same location without a break.
- 3
Ask for a position statement
On request, CQC can write to say it does not plan non-routine conditions and does not expect to refuse, which helps the sale timetable.
- 4
Registration completes on the day
CQC completes registration once both providers' legal representatives confirm the sale is complete, then tells both providers.
Measure what brings clients in
Track enquiries from day one in a simple CRM or spreadsheet. Within a few months you will know which channels to grow and which to stop paying for.
Enquiries by source
Count every enquiry each month and tag where it came from: council, NHS, website, Google, directory or referral.
Response time
Minutes from enquiry to first reply. A fast answer keeps you on the family's shortlist.
Conversion rate
New clients divided by enquiries, for each source.
Cost per new client
Marketing spend for a source divided by the clients it brought in.
Client lifetime value
Average weekly hours times your rate times the average weeks a client stays.
Reviews and rating
New Google and homecare.co.uk reviews each month, your average score and your CQC rating.
What our client acquisition service includes
Most marketing agencies do not know how commissioning or CQC ratings work, and most care consultancies do not do marketing. We do both, every day, for care providers only.
Councils and the NHS
Local authority registration and tenders
Finding the right lists and frameworks, preparing applications and writing tender responses.
NHS referral routes
Mapping your ICB, discharge hubs and community teams, and a plan to reach each one.
Online
Website and local SEO
A fast care website with a page for every area you cover, built to turn visits into enquiries.
Google Business Profile
Set up, optimised and managed, with a simple routine for winning reviews.
Directories
Complete profiles on homecare.co.uk and the local directories families use.
Social media and Google Ads
Facebook and LinkedIn content, and ads aimed at your own postcodes.
Referrals and results
Referral programme
A structured way to earn recommendations from families and professionals.
Marketing materials
Flyers, brochures, business cards and vehicle graphics.
Tracking and reports
Enquiry tracking from day one and a monthly report on what is working.
Starting or growing
New provider? Our business setup packages include marketing and client acquisition support. Already trading? Take the service on its own.
- care providers supported
- 1,200+
- first-time CQC registration approval
- 94%
- years of team experience
- 10+
What care providers say about working with us
Care providers describe working with us, in their own words, on Trustpilot and Google.
Moving slowly. Hover, tap or press Pause to read.
First of all i want to give Millicent…
First of all i want to give Millicent her flowers. I recently became a registered manager ( OLIVE BRANCH CARE & SUPPORT LTD) because of her. She knows her stuff, she takes you through the whole process, the Q&A with encouragement and guidance. I am usually a nerve wreck, but I made it. I couldn't not have wished for a better person than her. THANK YOU MILLICENT. YOU ARE THE BEST.
Read full review by Audrey Eastwood on TrustpilotAudrey Eastwood
3 October 2026
Excellent Support Throughout Our CQC Registration Journey
Care Sync Experts provided excellent support throughout our CQC registration journey for Tailored Healthcare 4 You Limited. The team was professional, knowledgeable and very supportive throughout the process. They provided valuable guidance with our application, policies, supporting documents and preparation for the CQC registration process. What I particularly appreciated was their willingness to answer questions, explain requirements clearly and provide support whenever we needed clarification. Their guidance helped us navigate what can be a detailed and demanding registration process with greater confidence. We are very grateful for their contribution towards the successful CQC registration of our company and would happily recommend Care Sync Experts to other care providers looking for professional CQC registration support. Thank you to the entire team for your continued support.
Read full review by Philip on TrustpilotPhilip
3 September 2026
Thanks to Care Sync Experts
Care Sync Experts supported with well tailored documentations for the CQC application, good prep/training for the CQC interview and prompt communication throughout the CQC registration stages which led to the success of Novaedge application I had an excellent experience working with Care Sync Experts on my CQC registration application. From the very beginning, their team demonstrated exceptional professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to ensuring my application met the required CQC standards. They provided clear guidance throughout the entire process, helped me prepare all the necessary documentation, and ensured I was fully ready for every stage of the application. Their attention to detail, prompt communication, and willingness to answer every question gave me confidence and made what could have been a stressful process much smoother. I truly appreciated their personalised support and expertise. Thanks to their dedication, I felt well-prepared throughout my CQC registration journey. I would confidently recommend Care Sync Experts to anyone seeking reliable and professional support with CQC registration and healthcare compliance.
Read full review by Novaedge Services Limited on TrustpilotNovaedge Services Limited
25 July 2026
The Experience that I have had with…care sync was a 5 star experience
The Experience that I have had with Care Sync experts is so excellent and effortless. Care sync experts assisted me with the CQC registration of my company. It was a 5 star experience. Coming from a healthcare background myself, I worked with a group of dedicated experts who knows what there are doing. I will like to thank Colin who handled my registration process with the Care sync expert team in such a way that the process looked so simple.
Read full review by E. Lustre on TrustpilotE. Lustre
21 July 2026
Care Sync Experts are reliable
Care Sync Experts are reliable, honest and operate with integrity. All the staff are knowledgeable and supportive whenever you need guidance. I recommend them for all those loking for CQC support services.
Read full review by customer on Trustpilotcustomer
12 June 2026
I am genuinely grateful that I chose Care Sync
I am genuinely grateful that I chose Care Sync Experts to support me in establishing my domiciliary care company, Precious Care. From my very first conversation with them, it was clear that they truly understood my needs. Their knowledge, expertise, and professionalism were evident from the start—they really do live up to their name. The support provided to me and my wider team was exceptional and truly limitless. No matter how small the question, they were always available, approachable, and ready to help. From day one, Millicent and Collins made us feel valued and important. Speaking with them felt like talking to people I had known for years—warm, reassuring, and always willing to go the extra mile. Every phone call ended with clarity and confidence. Millicent’s guidance, training, and ongoing support were outstanding and made the entire process smooth and stress‑free. Without hesitation, I would recommend Care Sync Experts as the go‑to professionals for anyone seeking EXPERT support in this field.
Read full review by PN on TrustpilotPN
27 March 2026
CQC interview confidence building
I found the material I was given very informative. This helped build my confidence during my CQC interview preparation. The staff responded to my inquiries timeously
Read full review by Lilian Muzorewa on TrustpilotLilian Muzorewa
23 February 2026
100% Support: How Care Sync Experts Made Our CQC Certification A Reality
I couldn’t be more grateful for Care Sync experts exceptional support during our CQC interview presentations. From the very beginning, Millicent and Collins were not only professional but also incredibly approachable and dedicated. Every time we needed assistance, they were right there ready to help with guidance, expert advice, and all the information required to ensure our success. When our interview dates kept changing, Care Sync flexibility truly set them apart. They rescheduled sessions without hesitation and even provided extra sessions, going far beyond what we had paid for. Their unwavering commitment was a crucial factor in us achieving our CQC certification. Thanks to their 100% support, Victory Growth Care Services is now proudly registered with CQC. I wholeheartedly recommend Care Sync expats for anyone looking for top-notch, dependable support in navigating the complexities of CQC interviews. Their team truly makes a difference!
Read full review by Shaz K on TrustpilotShaz K
12 February 2025
Outstanding Tender Writing Services
I recently used Care Sync Experts for the first time to complete a tender, and I am thrilled to say that they won it for me! Their team is absolutely brilliant. They took care of everything with professionalism and expertise, making the whole process smooth and successful. I would 100% recommend Care Sync Experts to any provider looking for someone to write their tender. Their work is of a high standard, and I couldn’t be happier with the results.
Read full review by Vivian Owusu on TrustpilotVivian Owusu
22 August 2024
Outstanding Service and Exceptional Results!
I had the pleasure of working with Care Sync Experts for various projects, including website development, tender submissions, and branding materials such as brochures and leaflets. From start to finish, their professionalism and attention to detail have been nothing short of remarkable. They designed and developed my website with a keen understanding of my needs, creating a sleek, user-friendly platform that perfectly represents my brand. But they didn't stop there, their expertise in handling tenders is unparalleled. Of the six tenders they managed for me, they won five. This impressive success rate speaks volumes about their strategic approach and deep industry knowledge. I highly recommend Care Sync Experts to anyone looking for top notch services in web development, tender management, and branding. They have truly elevated my business, and I look forward to continuing our partnership!
Read full review by Living Plus Care on TrustpilotLiving Plus Care
12 August 2024
Client acquisition FAQs
Last reviewed
Still have questions?
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Please chat to our friendly team.
Related reading
Keep exploring with Care Sync Experts.
These guides, services and client stories go hand in hand with this page, so you have everything you need to build and grow a successful care service.
Marketing Support for Care Providers
Digital marketing for care providers.
How to Get Private Care Clients in the UK
How UK home care agencies win private self-funding clients: Google, reviews, directories and referrals.
How to Get Domiciliary Care Contracts
Contract types, the Procurement Act 2023, where tenders are published, how bids are scored and 2026/27 council rates.
Health and Social Care Tender Writing
Bid and tender writing for care providers: domiciliary care, supported living and NHS contracts.