Home Care in Duns | Find a Local Carer
Duns is the historic county town of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders, a quiet market town with good local services for its size, set between the Lammermuir Hills and the Cheviots. With the nearest major hospital in Melrose and limited transport links, having a reliable local carer makes a real difference in this part of the Scottish Borders.
Sparrow connects you with carefully selected self-employed carers who live and work locally. Unlike traditional care agencies, our carers work independently — building direct relationships with their clients and providing personalised, one-to-one care. You choose your carer, agree on the support you need together, and they work directly for you.
Whether you need companionship for a parent in the Borders, personal care at home, or specialist dementia support in the community — our carers can help.
Ready to find a carer? Call us on 01434 444 888 or submit a care enquiry to find carers in Duns.
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Care Services Available in Duns
Our self-employed carers provide a wide range of support at home, including:
● Dementia Care — Specialist support for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia
● Personal Care — Help with washing, dressing, toileting, and mobility
● Companionship — Social support, conversation, and reducing isolation
● Respite Care — Regular breaks for family carers
● Overnight Care — Support and reassurance through the night
● Household Help — Cleaning, shopping, meal preparation
● Enabling Care — Supporting you to maintain your independence and do more for yourself
Each carer offers different types of support — you can see what they provide on their profile, or tell us what you need and we’ll suggest suitable carers.
Care in Duns and Berwickshire
Our carers cover Duns and the surrounding area including Chirnside, Greenlaw, Swinton, Coldstream, Eyemouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed. Many live locally, so they know the area well.
They provide support ranging from companionship and household help to personal care and specialist dementia support. Because they’re self-employed and work independently, they have the time to provide unhurried, attentive care — whether that’s helping with daily tasks, accompanying you to appointments at Duns Medical Group or Merse Medical Practice — both at The Knoll, Station Road (TD11 3EL), or simply sharing a cup of tea and good conversation.
Duns and the surrounding Berwickshire countryside are relatively remote from larger towns — self-employed carers who live locally provide the reliable, familiar support that matters in a rural community like this.
Browse our carers to see who’s available near you.
Areas We Cover Near Duns
Our carers work throughout the surrounding area, including:
Duns & Immediate Area: Duns TD11, Chirnside, Greenlaw
Nearby Areas: Swinton, Coldstream (TD12), Eyemouth (TD14), Berwick-upon-Tweed (TD15), Kelso (TD5), Longformacus, Abbey St Bathans, Whitsome, Edrom
If your area isn’t listed, please get in touch — we may still have carers who can help.
Use our postcode search to check availability in your specific location.
How does finding care with Sparrow work?
Finding outstanding self-employed carers has never been easier. No upfront costs, no long-term commitments — just three simple steps to find your ideal carer.
What Does Care Cost?
Self-employed carers typically charge between £22–25 per hour, with Sparrow’s 10% introduction fee added on top. That means you’ll usually pay around £24–28 per hour for care.
Because your carer works directly for you rather than through an agency, you often pay less than traditional agency care while your carer earns more. There are no minimum visit times, contracts, or hidden fees — just transparent, flexible care that works for you.
Many people use Direct Payments, Continuing Healthcare funding, or other local authority funding to pay for their care. If you’re funded through Scottish Borders Council, the direct relationship with a self-employed carer works well with their payment arrangements. We can provide any documentation Scottish Borders Council or your local NHS team needs.
£20-25
Typical carer charge care per hour
10%
Sparrow’s industry leading fee
Zero
No upfront fees or commitments
£7.39
Typical cost saving per hour of care*
FAQs
Do you have carers available in Duns?
We have carers covering Duns and the surrounding area. Availability depends on your specific care needs and timing — browse our carers or submit a care enquiry to find out who’s available. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours on weekdays.
What types of care are available?
Our carers provide a wide range of support including companionship care, personal care, household help, medication support, dementia care, and help with mobility. The specific types of care vary by individual carer – you can see what each carer offers on their profile, or let us know what you need when you enquire and we’ll match you with suitable carers.
How quickly can care start?
Once you’ve chosen your carer and agreed on the support you need, care can often begin within a few days. The exact timing depends on your carer’s availability and how quickly you can arrange things together. Most people are able to start care within a week or two of first contacting us.
Do you cover areas near Duns?
Yes — our carers cover Duns and surrounding areas including Chirnside, Greenlaw, Swinton, Coldstream, Eyemouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed. If you’re not sure whether we cover your area, just get in touch or use our postcode search.
Can I use Direct Payments or CHC funding?
Yes. Many of our clients use Direct Payments, Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding, or other local authority funding to pay for self-employed care. The direct relationship with your carer works well with most funding arrangements, and we can provide any paperwork Scottish Borders Council or your local NHS team needs.
How is this different from using a care agency?
We’re an introductory agency, not a traditional care agency. We connect you with self-employed carers who work directly for you, rather than employing carers ourselves. This means you typically have the same carer each visit rather than different staff on a rota, your carer earns significantly more than they would at an agency, and you usually pay less than agency rates. Your carer works for you — you agree together on the support needed, timings, and rates with no manager in between.
What are my other options for care in Duns?
There are several care options available in and around Duns, each suited to different needs.
Care homes in the area include No care home in Duns itself. Nearest options: (), Lennel House (St Philips Care), Coldstream (TD12 4EX) (residential/dementia (10 miles)), Saltgreens Care Home, Eyemouth (TD14 5HF) (residential (12 miles)), Berwick care homes (15 miles) (see Berwick entry). Care homes can be a good option if you need round-the-clock support, though they do require moving out of your own home.
Care agencies operating locally include Home Instead Scottish Borders, Scottish Borders Council Homecare East. Agencies send employed care workers to your home for scheduled visits — they’re widely available, though you may have different carers each time and typically pay more than self-employed care.
If you have an assessed care need, you may be eligible for funding from Scottish Borders Council to help pay for some or all of your care at home. This funding can usually be used with a range of providers — including self-employed carers through Sparrow. In practice, councils often steer people towards their own in-house services or commissioned agencies, but you do have the right to choose the care that fits your needs and preferences and can opt for Direct Payments to pay for self-employed care. We’re happy to help you understand your options.
Self-employed care through Sparrow works well if you want to stay at home, value consistency and choice, and prefer a direct relationship with your carer. We bridge the gap between hiring privately and using a care agency — connecting you with carers from our local network who then work directly for you.
If you’re not sure which option is right for you, we’re happy to talk it through — call us on 01434 444 888.