Home Care Starter Checklist: Everything You Need Before Your First Day

You got the job. Nice one! But now what? Starting a home care job can feel a bit scary. What do you actually need? What should you sort out first? What will your manager expect?

Don't worry. This guide is like a shopping list for your first day. We'll go through everything step by step. By the end, you'll know exactly what you need and what you can skip.

Think of it like getting ready for school, but for starting your home care job. Simple, practical, and no fancy words.

Key Statistics

• 84% of home care jobs need you to travel between clients' homes
• Most managers want people who can drive
• You'll spend about 20-30% of your day traveling
• You'll get paid 25p to 45p per mile for driving
• Business car insurance costs about £100-£300 more per year

How Are You Getting Around?

This is the biggest thing to sort out. How will you get to people's houses?

Option 1: Use Your Own Car (Most Common)

Most home care managers want staff who can drive. If you can drive, you can work almost anywhere. This makes you much more useful to employers.

What you need:

• A full UK driving licence (not a learner's licence)
• A car that works and has valid MOT and tax
• Business car insurance (this is really important, normal insurance won't cover you)
• A clean driving record (your manager will check this)

What car should you get?

Don't worry about how it looks. You need a car that:

• Starts every morning (reliability is key)
• Doesn't use too much fuel (you'll drive a lot)
• Is comfortable to sit in for hours
• Has space for bags and shopping
• Doesn't cost loads to fix when it breaks

Top tip: If you're buying a car for this job, look at small or medium hatchbacks. They're cheap to run, reliable, and have enough space.

Option 2: Public Transport

Some managers will let you use buses or trains. But this limits where you can work. You can only visit clients near bus stops or train stations.

What you need:

• Good bus or train routes where you'll be working
• A travel card (ask your manager if they help pay for this)
• A backup plan for when transport is late or cancelled
• Good time management (buses don't wait for you)

When this works: Only if you're in a city with great transport and all your clients are near stops. Most home care jobs need you to visit places with poor transport, so this doesn't work for most people.

Option 3: Cycling or Walking

This only works if all your clients live really close together. That's rare. Most home care workers cover big areas, so cycling or walking isn't practical.

Option 4: Company Car

Some big home care companies give you a car to use. This is great, but it's not common. Don't assume you'll get one.

What to ask: When you get the job, ask if they provide cars. If they do, find out:

• Can everyone use them or just some staff?
• What do you need to do to use one?
• Do you have to pay anything?
• What happens if you crash it?

The Car Insurance Thing (This Is Important)

Lots of new home care workers get this wrong. Normal car insurance doesn't cover you for work driving.

Normal insurance vs. business insurance:

• Normal insurance: Only covers you driving for personal stuff. If you crash on the way to a client, your insurance might not pay.
• Business insurance: Covers you for driving as part of your job. This is what you need.

How much does it cost?

• Usually £100-£300 more per year than normal insurance
• The price depends on your age, how long you've been driving, your car, and where you live
• Some insurance companies do special deals for care workers

What to tell your insurance company:

• You're a home care worker
• You'll be driving to clients' houses (not taking clients in your car)
• Roughly how many miles you'll do per week (ask your manager)
• What times you'll be driving (early mornings, evenings, etc.)

Top tip: Don't just go with your current insurance company. Shop around. Get at least three quotes. Some companies specialise in care worker insurance and give better deals.

What You Actually Need: The Checklist

Here's what you need before your first day. Use the checklist below to tick things off as you go.

Nice to Have (But Not Essential)

These things are helpful but you don't need them straight away:

• Car cleaning stuff (first impressions matter)
• Umbrella (for getting from car to door in the rain)
• Hand sanitiser in your car
• Spare change for parking
• A good bag for carrying paperwork
• Water bottle
• Healthy snacks (you might not get proper breaks)
• Spare uniform (if your manager gives you one)

Questions to Ask Your Manager

Don't wait until your first day. Ask these questions now:

Understanding Travel Payments

This is really important. It affects how much money you actually take home.

Mileage payments: Most managers pay you a set amount per mile you drive. Usually 25p to 45p per mile. This is meant to cover:

• Fuel
• Wear and tear on your car
• Insurance costs

Travel time payments: Some managers pay you for the time you spend driving between visits. Others don't. This makes a huge difference. If you're not paid for travel time, you might spend 2-3 hours per day driving for free.

How to work it out:

• How many miles will you drive per day or week?
• How much will fuel cost? (check current prices)
• How much will insurance cost? (get quotes)
• How much will maintenance cost? (budget for servicing, tyres, etc.)
• Will mileage payments cover all these costs?

Top tip: Make a simple list. Write down your expected weekly miles, times by the mileage rate, then take away your actual costs (fuel, insurance, maintenance). This shows you your real take-home pay after transport costs.

Your First Week: What Actually Happens

Your first week won't be like normal work:

Day 1-2: Training

• You'll probably be in the office or training centre
• You'll learn about rules, health and safety, and how things work
• You'll do the Care Certificate (if you haven't already)
• You probably won't visit any clients yet

Day 3-5: Shadowing

• You'll work with an experienced home care worker
• This lets you see what the job is actually like
• You'll learn routes, what clients like, and practical skills
• You might not drive your own car yet (you might go with your mentor)

Week 2+: On Your Own

• You'll start visiting clients by yourself
• You'll follow your own schedule and routes
• This is when your transport really matters

Top tip: Don't panic if your first week feels overwhelming. Everyone feels like this. Ask questions, write things down, and remember it gets easier.

Mistakes to Avoid

Not sorting insurance before you start: If you're driving and don't have business insurance, you're not covered. This is illegal and could cost you thousands if you crash.

Assuming travel is paid: Not all managers pay for travel time. Make sure you know exactly what you'll be paid for before you start.

Not budgeting for fuel: Even with mileage payments, you need money for fuel. Mileage payments are usually paid monthly, but you'll need to buy fuel weekly.

Not asking about areas: Some home care jobs cover huge areas. If you're expected to drive 50 miles between visits, that's very different from visiting clients on the same street.

Not having a backup plan: What if your car breaks down? What if public transport is cancelled? Have a plan B.

If You Don't Have a Car

If you can't drive or don't have a car, there are some options:

Wheels to Work schemes: Some areas have schemes that help care workers get transport. They might help you get a moped or small car. Contact your local council or Skills for Care to see if there's a scheme near you.

Manager support: Some big employers offer transport loans or lease schemes. Ask if this is available.

Public transport with manager support: Some managers will work with you if you can use public transport, but this limits where you can work.

Top tip: If you really can't drive or get a car, be honest with managers when you apply. Some jobs might work, but many won't. It's better to know this before you accept a job.

Key Data Summary

Your Pre-First Day Checklist

Use this checklist to make sure you're ready:

What to Do Next

If you already have a car:

• Check your insurance covers business use (if not, get quotes)
• Check MOT and tax are valid
• Get breakdown cover if you don't have it
• Clean your car (first impressions matter)
• Test your sat nav or phone navigation

If you need to buy a car:

• Set a realistic budget (remember insurance and running costs)
• Look for reliable, fuel-efficient cars
• Get insurance quotes before buying (some cars cost more to insure)
• Remember to add business insurance costs
• Get the car checked by a mechanic before buying

If you can't drive:

• Be honest with managers about this
• Look into public transport options in your area
• Check out Wheels to Work schemes
• Think about learning to drive (many managers will help with this)
• Focus on jobs in areas with good public transport

Methodology

This guide is based on:

• Looking at how home care jobs actually work
• Checking insurance requirements for care workers
• Talking to home care managers and workers
• Looking at travel payment rates
• Checking transport schemes available to care workers