How we work

We introduce. You decide.

Witho is an introductory agency. That is a recognised way of arranging care at home, and it is different from a managed care agency in one important respect: your helper works to your instructions, not ours. This page explains exactly what that means, including the things we are not allowed to do.

What we can do

Introduce you to a helper suited to your household
Check identity, address, right to work, references and DBS before any introduction
Show you the helper’s own profile, rate and availability so you can choose
Help you find another helper whenever you need one
Give you the tools to arrange and keep track of your own visits
Insure visits booked and paid for through Witho
Act on safeguarding concerns and remove helpers from the platform

What we cannot do

Provide personal care — washing, bathing, dressing or toileting
Administer medication (helpers may remind and prompt only)
Lift, hoist or help someone transfer
Carry out any nursing or clinical task
Write or manage a care plan, or give care advice
Direct or supervise how a helper does their work

These are not gaps in our service. They are the line between an introductory agency and a managed care agency, and we stay firmly on our side of it.

So who directs the care?

You do. Your helper is self-employed and works to your instructions, not ours. That is what an introduction agency means, and it is why the arrangement stays flexible, personal, and far less expensive than a care agency.

How medication works

Helpers can remind and prompt — “have you taken your tablets this morning?” — and nothing more. Taking a tablet out of a box and giving it to someone is administering medication, which is regulated care, and no Witho helper does it. If that is what is needed, it needs a registered provider and we will say so.

Introductory agency or managed agency?

With Witho

You choose your helper from real profiles.
The same familiar face, not a rota of strangers.
You agree the routine directly with your helper.
Your helper keeps the full hourly rate.
No contract, no notice period, no management fee.

With a managed agency

The agency assigns whoever is available.
The agency writes and reviews the care plan.
The agency supervises and trains its care workers.
A margin is taken from every hour worked.
Regulated and inspected by the CQC.

Both are legitimate. If you would rather someone else took responsibility for managing the care, a regulated agency is the right choice and we will say so.

Where to read more

Our trust and safety page sets out every check a helper completes before an introduction. Our safeguarding policy explains what happens if you raise a concern, and our terms set out the arrangement in full.

Ready to arrange support?

Send us a message and we will come back to you within one working day.