How to choose a companionship service: 12 questions

Choose a companionship service on six things: who employs the companion and takes responsibility for them; what checks have been done and whether you can see them; whether the provider is insured; whether your relative gets the same person every week with a backup they have met; whether the price and terms are clear before you start; and how the provider handles the moment a client needs more than companionship. Ask for the answers in writing before the first visit, and meet the companion before you commit to anything.

The twelve questions

Ask them all, and ask for the answers in writing. A provider should be able to explain the arrangement it is offering clearly.

1. Is the companion employed by you, or self-employed?

Ask who contracts with you, who employs or engages the companion and who handles supervision, insurance, absence cover and complaints. An employed service and an introduction arrangement can allocate responsibilities differently. Read the actual terms rather than assuming the business model tells you everything about quality. Whitegreen's model is to employ its companions and manage the service.

2. What DBS check has been done, and can I see it?

Ask which level of DBS check the role is eligible for, when it was completed and how the provider keeps checks current. An adults' barred-list check is available for specified activities: for example, doing an adult's shopping because age, illness or disability means they need that support, or conveying them to health care because they cannot travel independently for those reasons. General company or going out together does not automatically make a role eligible. Ask the provider to explain the checks for the actual duties, alongside references, training and supervision.

3. What references were taken, and were they spoken to?

Two references, taken by telephone rather than by form, from people who have seen the candidate work. Ask whether the provider spoke to the referees or only collected written ones.

4. Was there a face-to-face interview?

A companion will be alone in your relative's home. Somebody at the provider should have sat across a table from them first. Ask who.

5. What insurance does the provider hold?

Ask which insurance applies to the actual work, who holds it, the cover limits and how to check the details. If outings involve a vehicle, ask about cover for that use too. Do not assume a general insurance statement answers every part of the proposed arrangement.

6. Will it be the same person every week?

The point of companionship is a relationship. Continuity matters if the purpose is a familiar relationship. Ask how the provider matches companions to clients, how often the match changes, and whether the client can ask for a different person without fuss.

7. What happens when the usual companion is ill or on holiday?

Ask who provides cover, how the person is introduced and what happens if suitable cover is unavailable. Whitegreen’s published approach is a named backup introduced within the first month; confirm how it will work for the offered routine.

8. Is the price published, and what does it include?

Ask for the full price in writing before the first visit: the hourly rate, the minimum visit, the evening and weekend uplift, mileage, and whether VAT is charged. Ask what happens to the price after a year.

9. Is there a minimum term, a deposit or an exit fee?

Ask for all notice periods and charges before booking, including exceptions for illness or emergencies. Compare them with the flexibility you need. Whitegreen publishes one week’s notice to end the arrangement and its visit cancellation terms on the prices page.

10. How will I know how the visit went?

Ask how updates are agreed with the person receiving visits, what they contain and who receives them. A blank format can help explain this without showing another client’s private information.

11. Do you provide personal care, and what happens when my relative needs it?

Whitegreen Companions provides non-regulated independent living support. We do not provide personal care, nursing care, clinical care or any other activity regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Our companions can remind you to take medication but never administer it. If your needs change, we will help you find a registered care provider.

Every companionship provider should be able to say something as plain as that. The follow-up matters as much: when a client starts to need help with washing, dressing or the toilet, that is personal care under regulation 2 of the 2014 Regulations, and it is provided by agencies registered with the CQC. A provider that says "we can help with a bit of that too" is telling you it does not keep to its own boundary.

12. Can we meet before we commit?

A meet-and-greet at home, free of charge, with the family present if wanted. Ask whether there is a charge or obligation. Whitegreen’s meet-and-greet is free, and you decide afterwards whether to book.

Warning signs

• No written price list, or a price that changes on the phone.
• A DBS certificate the provider cannot produce, or no clear explanation of which check the actual role is eligible for.
• The word "care" used loosely, with no clear line around personal care.
• A different face each week, explained as flexibility.
• Pressure to sign for a minimum term.

What good looks like

A provider that takes responsibility for its companions, checks them properly and can show you, matches on the person rather than the rota, keeps the same face coming, tells you how each visit went, is clear about its prices and terms before you start, and knows exactly what it will do when your relative needs more. Whichever provider you choose, meet the companion first.

What to notice in the first conversation

A useful provider asks about the person, not only the postcode and payment. They should listen to what the visit is for, distinguish company from support outside their scope and explain what must be agreed before booking.

Watch whether questions are answered specifically. “All our people are wonderful” does not answer who would visit. “We are flexible” does not explain cancellations. Ask for the actual arrangement and keep the answer alongside the quoted price.

Compare an ordinary visit, not an ideal day

Describe the same possible visit to each provider. For example: two hours on a weekday afternoon, company at home with light shopping help, and an update shared with the person's agreement. Then ask each how it would be arranged and priced.

That is a comparison example, not a real client story. Add the needs that matter in your situation, including anything that might require another service. Do not leave out a difficult part in order to get a quicker yes.

Include the person's judgement

After an introduction, ask the person receiving visits how it felt. Did they have room to speak? Was their preferred pace respected? Would they like to see that person again? An impressive conversation with the relative paying does not establish a good fit with the person who will receive the visits.

A free meeting should remain a choice. Take time to understand any service agreement before booking. If a provider presses for a decision before explaining the routine, charges or cancellation terms, you can pause.

Keep one page of answers

Record the main companion arrangement, absence cover, role-appropriate checks, price, notice terms, information sharing and the contact for concerns. Mark unanswered questions as unanswered rather than filling them in from a reassuring impression.

The free family decision pack gives you a starting point. You can use it with Whitegreen or another service; its purpose is to make the decision clearer.

Common questions

What DBS check should a companion have?

Ask which DBS check is appropriate for the actual role, when it was completed, and whether an adults' barred-list check is legally available. Eligibility depends on the duties and circumstances, not the job title alone.

Is an introduction agency the same as a companionship provider?

No. Models differ. Ask who contracts with you, who employs or engages the companion and who is responsible for supervision, insurance, absence cover and concerns. Check the actual agreement rather than assuming from the label.

Should I meet the companion before the first visit?

Yes, and it should cost nothing. A meet-and-greet gives the person a chance to judge whether the introduction feels comfortable.

What should the provider tell me about personal care?

That it does not provide it, in writing, and what it will do when a client begins to need it. The right answer is that it helps you find a registered provider and does not charge for doing so.

Sources

References for the external facts and guidance on this page. Practical examples are examples. If information has changed, tell us so we can correct it.

1. DBS, eligibility for Enhanced with Adults' Barred List checks, September 2026
2. Disclosure and Barring Service, regulated activity with adults, definition as amended by the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
3. The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, regulation 2
4. GOV.UK, Employers' liability insurance