Live-in care in Thatcham

West Berkshire Council runs adult social care. Call its Adult Social Care Contact Centre on 01635 503050 (Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm, Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm), use its online enquiry form or email adultcare@westberks.gov.uk. Out of hours, the Emergency Duty Service is on 01344 351 999. A relative who cares for someone in West Berkshire can contact Age UK Berkshire, part of the Reading and West Berkshire Carers Partnership, on 0118 959 4242 for free carers' advice and support. Carers do not pay for the council's carers' support, and the person cared for does not need council services.

Yes, but by appointment only. Its Minor Injuries Unit asks people to call NHS 111 first and come only with an appointment. It treats injuries such as cuts, sprains and small fractures, not illnesses, and it is not an A&E. The nearest A&E is at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, open 24 hours. In a life-threatening emergency, call 999.

Start with the GP, who can refer to Berkshire Healthcare's older adults' mental health service for the Newbury area, based at Hillcroft House in Thatcham (0118 904 3100). The Alzheimer's Society's Dementia Care Adviser Service for West Berkshire supports people with dementia and their carers (0118 959 6482, weekdays 9am to 5pm). The Nature Memories Café at the Nature Discovery Centre is free, with booking required on 01635 874381.

West Berkshire's Joint Care Pathway team, the Berkshire NHS Intermediate Care Team and the council's adult social care working together, arranges short-term care to help people regain their independence after hospital. This reablement normally lasts 1 to 2 weeks and no more than 6. If longer-term support is needed, the council arranges a care needs assessment, and ongoing care is charged for. If the hospital says someone can go home but needs a package of care with no reablement goals, the charge starts on the day of discharge and a financial assessment follows.

Possibly. Someone a doctor confirms as severely mentally impaired (the council's examples are dementia or Alzheimer's) who gets a qualifying benefit, such as Attendance Allowance or PIP, can be disregarded: if they live alone, the discount is 100%. If your relative is the only adult in the household and employs carers who do not live there as their sole or main residence, they can apply for a single person discount. A carer living there who gives at least 35 hours of care a week to someone who is not their spouse, partner or child under 18, and who receives a qualifying disability benefit, can also be disregarded. Ask the council's Council Tax Team.

Live-in care with Day and Nightcare costs from £1,550 a week in Thatcham, the same as everywhere in England, for one person with a carer who rests at night. That includes our care team's management (the assessment, care plan, reviews, supervision and the on-call manager) and the carer's food; break cover and the carer's travel are extra. For a couple it is from £1,800 a week, where one carer can safely meet both partners' needs. You receive a written quote after a free assessment.

Yes, if the person's care needs meet the national eligibility criteria and their savings are below £23,250 (2026/27). Adult social care in Thatcham is arranged by West Berkshire Council. Ask for a care needs assessment; if you are eligible, council funding can usually be taken as a direct payment and used for live-in care from us.

It can. Tell us the expected discharge date as early as you can, and we will work with you and the ward's discharge team on when live-in care can start. We can often start within 24 to 48 hours of the assessment, depending on carer availability, and we confirm the start date once a carer is arranged. We have provided Discharge to Assess (D2A) care since 2014.