Local Family Links offers friendly, practical support at home for loved ones who may need a little extra help with everyday life.
Regular visits to help with household admin, technology, accessing useful support and solving everyday issues. A nominated trusted contact can be kept fully informed, creating a joined-up circle of support around your loved one.
Our goal is to give families reassurance while helping their loved one remain confident and independent at home, making life a little easier, safer and less stressful for everyone involved. By helping with smaller practical problems early and connecting people with the right support when needed, Local Family Links aims to prevent everyday difficulties from becoming bigger problems later on.
Local Family Links is not a care agency. It provides the useful, trusted help that often sits between family support, household admin and everyday companionship.
A regular familiar visit with time to check how things are going, deal with practical concerns and enjoy relaxed conversation.
Helping keep everyday paperwork organised, while checking whether there may be additional help or support available.
Checking that household services still suit the household and that money is not being unnecessarily spent.
Patient help with everyday technology, with gentle introductions to useful devices or features that may make life easier.
Simple practical improvements that can make everyday life at home a little easier, more accessible and more reassuring.
After each visit, a clear update can be shared with the trusted contact, showing what was discussed, what progress was made and what needs attention next.
“Giving the trusted contact reassurance that things are being followed up, without having to keep chasing paperwork, calls or everyday admin themselves.”
My grandmother played a huge part in bringing me up from a young age, so when she became older, I wanted to give her the same care, patience and support she had always given me.
Local Family Links grew from those years of helping my nan, alongside other family members, and from being somebody others often felt comfortable asking for help or advice.
Sometimes it was a bill that did not look right, a confusing letter, the television not working, a phone setting that had changed or a household service that needed sorting out. There were plenty of late-night phone calls because the TV had stopped working, something had appeared on the screen that she did not understand, or a small problem had suddenly become a big worry. I saw first-hand how stressful these things could be for her, even when they might seem simple to somebody else.
Over time, I became one of the people my grandmother relied on to help keep on top of those everyday things — dealing with household bills and services, speaking to companies on her behalf, helping with technology and paperwork, and trying to sort out the small problems before they became bigger ones.
I also began noticing the everyday tasks that were becoming harder for her and looking for practical ways to make them easier. That might mean finding a safer or lighter way to make a cup of tea, looking at simple aids around the home, finding good-quality ready meals that were easy for her to prepare, or researching local services and support that she may not have known were available.
It also meant putting practical arrangements in place so that everyday essentials were easier to manage. I helped organise regular food deliveries and repeat deliveries for essential household or personal items, so things she relied on could arrive when needed without somebody having to remember and arrange everything each time.
Household maintenance was another part of that support. With over 15 years of experience running my own decorating business, I was confident dealing with smaller practical jobs myself and knew when something needed a qualified tradesperson. I could then help find someone suitable, make enquiries and go through the proposed work and costs with my nan before she decided whether to go ahead.
This also meant looking into things such as Attendance Allowance and services including Care & Repair and Delta Wellbeing, where appropriate, to see whether there was extra help available that could make life at home safer, easier or more affordable. We also looked at practical safety measures around the home, including suitable fire and smoke alarm arrangements that could alert me if an alarm was activated, providing another layer of reassurance while she remained at home.
I also saw how easily unnecessary costs could build up. By keeping an eye on what my nan was paying for, I was often able to reduce or remove services she no longer used or did not need, leaving more money available for things that genuinely improved her day-to-day life and that she actually needed.
Just as importantly, it gave the wider family reassurance. They knew there was someone nearby who understood what was going on, could notice when something needed attention and help get it sorted. It also meant family members could spend more of their time simply being family, rather than constantly having to act as customer service agents — chasing providers, fixing technology or dealing with paperwork.
My aim is simple: to use the practical skills, qualifications and experience I gained from helping look after my nan to offer the same kind of dependable support to other loved ones and their families. Local Family Links is built from real day-to-day experience, helping someone stay comfortable, confident and independent at home, dealing with the everyday problems that can cause stress, and giving families the reassurance that someone trusted is there to help.
“Sometimes it is the little things that make the biggest difference — knowing someone will notice, someone will listen, and someone will help get things sorted.”
A first conversation to make sure the support Local Family Links provides is suitable before any paid visit is arranged.
A relaxed first visit to understand the loved one’s circumstances, existing support, practical priorities and whether Local Family Links is suitable.
After the visit, the information is reviewed properly and useful options, services and priorities are researched.
We go through the suggested support together and agree what would be most suitable.
Each visit starts with a relaxed welfare check before we work through agreed priorities and anything new that has come up.
As we learn what works best, the support develops around the loved one while their trusted contact stays informed.
After each visit, the nominated trusted contact can receive a clear update showing what was checked, what progress was made and what needs their attention next.
Two people in the loop means an extra layer of reassurance. Where agreed, important decisions, costs or changes can be seen by both the loved one and their nominated trusted contact before anything goes ahead. It gives another perspective, helps avoid rushed decisions and keeps everyone clear on what has been agreed.
Local Family Links fills the practical support gap between managing entirely alone and requiring formal care, helping people remain independent at home.
The main private Local Family Links service, providing regular practical support, clear records and continuity so agreed matters can keep moving between visits.
Community Link is a simpler, funded version of the standard Local Family Links Membership, designed to offer a smaller level of practical support to eligible people who may benefit from some extra help at home.
It focuses on the same preventative approach as the main membership — helping with practical problems early, supporting independence and confidence, and helping people stay on top of everyday issues before they become more difficult to manage.
Coming soon — currently in development
Our aim is for Community Link to be completely free for eligible people who would benefit from the service, with places funded through grants, partnerships or commissioned support.
Community Link will only become available once appropriate external funding or commissioned places have been secured. There are currently no funded Community Link places available.
For organisations interested in discussing future funded or commissioned Community Link provision.
Not everyone needs a membership. Some families simply want help with one particular job at home. These one-off services can be booked separately, while loved ones with a Local Family Links Membership may already have smaller practical tasks covered as part of their scheduled visit.
Help setting up televisions, remotes, Freeview, streaming services, soundbars and making everything simpler to use.
Help with routers, Wi-Fi problems, improving connectivity and getting devices properly connected around the home.
Help setting up phones, tablets, Alexa or smart speakers, smart plugs, video calling and other useful connected devices.
Big-button phones, amplified sound, TV listening options and practical technology that can make everyday use easier.
Motion lighting, key safes and other simple practical additions that can help make the home easier or safer to manage.
Help finding and coordinating the right person for jobs outside our own skillsets, such as a plumber, electrician, gardener or other tradesperson.
These practical services can be included within your Local Family Links Membership where they fit within the available time during a scheduled visit.
If a task needs more time, it can either be continued at a future scheduled visit or additional time can be arranged, subject to availability and an extra charge.
Any additional cost will always be discussed and agreed in advance.
Equipment, materials and third-party costs are separate.
Life is not always predictable, and sometimes something comes up that needs attention before the next planned visit. Where possible, and where the Local Family Links schedule allows, additional practical support can be requested.
This could be an extra visit, help dealing with an unexpected household problem, additional calls or administration, arranging a suitable tradesperson, or being there when an engineer or other professional visits. If something more urgent happens, I may also be able to attend to provide reassurance and remain with the loved one after the appropriate professional service is contacted.
Any additional work will be discussed wherever possible before it is carried out and, where a charge applies, agreed separately from the Local Family Links Membership or any future funded Community Link provision.
Local Family Links does not replace emergency, medical or care services. Where professional or emergency assistance is required, the appropriate service should always be contacted first.
Sometimes the best way to understand what practical help may be useful is to take a structured look at how the home is working for the person living there — or how well it will support them if they are returning home after a hospital stay or a change in circumstances.
Local Family Links can record practical issues around the home, identify things that may make everyday life easier or safer, highlight support that may be worth exploring and provide a clear written record of what has been found.
The service has two distinct routes — one for individuals and families, and a separate professional information-gathering service for professionals and public services.
An Independent Living Home Review is included within the Local Family Links Membership where appropriate, and can also be booked separately as a one-off service if regular membership is not needed.
A structured practical review of how well the home is working for the person living there, with a clear report showing what is working well, what may be worth improving and where additional support or professional advice may help. This is not an Occupational Therapy assessment.
Paths, entrances, steps, lighting, key access, everyday obstacles and general accessibility.
How areas such as the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and living space are working in everyday life.
Loose rugs, cluttered routes, poor lighting, obvious household problems and other straightforward practical concerns.
Phones, Wi-Fi, useful household technology, alarms and communication arrangements.
Heating, electricity, water, food arrangements, deliveries, household access and other practical arrangements where relevant.
A factual record of relevant aids, equipment and services already in place and whether additional professional or community support may be worth exploring.
A structured, easy-to-follow record for the loved one and, where agreed, their nominated trusted contact.
The Independent Living Home Review is a practical, non-clinical review of the home environment. It is not an Occupational Therapy assessment, medical assessment, building survey, fire-risk assessment or specialist accessibility assessment.
Local Family Links does not determine whether somebody is clinically safe to live at home, prescribe specialist mobility equipment or make clinical decisions. Where something appears to require professional assessment, Local Family Links will explain this and help identify an appropriate route where possible.
Local Family Links provides a professional referral service designed to gather clearly requested factual information about a person’s home environment to support the work of health, social-care and other appropriate professionals.
A professional may sometimes need straightforward information about a person’s home before deciding what should happen next. For people living in rural communities around Llandovery, obtaining that information can potentially involve significant professional travel.
The service allows an appropriate professional to define exactly what environmental information they require. Local Family Links can attend locally, collect the agreed factual information and securely return a structured report. The intention is not to replace qualified professionals, but to allow appropriate local information-gathering so professional time can be concentrated on assessment and work that genuinely requires their expertise.
The referring professional specifies exactly what information is required.
Appropriate consent, access arrangements and referral information are confirmed.
Local Family Links attends and records the specifically requested factual information.
Agreed photographs, measurements and observations are compiled into a standardised report.
The referrer reviews the information and remains responsible for assessment and decisions.
This service records factual observations of the home environment to assist the referring professional.
Local Family Links does not determine clinical fitness for discharge, prescribe Occupational Therapy equipment, undertake clinical assessment or decide whether a specialist professional visit is required. Decisions concerning discharge, care needs, equipment, adaptations and professional assessment remain with the appropriate healthcare, social-care or other qualified professional.
A professional Home Environment Information Survey is kept separate from Local Family Links private sales activity. Local Family Links will not use a professional survey to sell equipment, adaptations or private membership services to the individual.
Any separate private service would require a distinct enquiry, agreement and appropriate consent.
Please contact us by email to discuss your requirements, the information you need gathered and whether Local Family Links can assist.
Local Family Links is built on practical experience, but it is equally important that the service is supported by appropriate training, safeguarding knowledge and clear professional boundaries.
Relevant certificates and training records are available upon request.
An enhanced background check providing additional reassurance for work carried out in loved ones’ homes.
Training to recognise safeguarding concerns and understand when and how they should be raised.
Training to recognise signs of domestic abuse, coercive control or violence, understand appropriate boundaries and know when concerns should be escalated or referred.
Practical first-aid training for responding appropriately if somebody becomes unwell or is injured.
Training around consent, decision-making and respecting a loved one’s right to remain involved and in control.
Training in handling personal information, documents and trusted-contact updates responsibly and securely.
Understanding how dementia may affect communication, confidence and everyday life, helping support remain patient and appropriate.
Training in safe working practices when visiting and working independently in people’s homes.
Local Family Links offers practical, non-medical support. It does not provide personal care, nursing, medication management, regulated financial advice or emergency response services.
Local Family Links is being developed in Llandovery, with the intention of supporting nearby rural communities where family members may live further away and local practical help can be difficult to find.
The final travel area and any mileage arrangements will be confirmed before the service launches.
Yes. Local Family Links can support one loved one or a couple living in the same home. The Initial Support Planning Visit will consider the needs of both people and the household as a whole. Where appropriate, one Local Family Links Membership can cover them both, rather than requiring two separate memberships. Whether the membership is suitable will depend on the amount of work involved.
Each person still remains an individual when it comes to consent, decisions and information sharing. Being married or living together does not automatically give one person authority to make decisions on behalf of the other.
Where agreed, a clear visit update can be shared covering general wellbeing observations, progress with post, bills and household administration, any concerns noticed, actions agreed, approvals required and what will be followed up next. Secure access may also be provided to relevant documents and visit updates.
Where a couple is supported, one trusted contact may receive a household-level update if both loved ones have agreed. The report can cover shared household matters and individual actions where appropriate, but personal information will only be included where consent allows.
If there is an emergency, the appropriate emergency service should always be contacted first. Local Family Links is not an emergency response service and should not be contacted instead of 999, NHS services or another appropriate professional service.
Depending on the circumstances and my availability, I may be able to attend afterwards to provide reassurance, remain with the loved one while professional help is on its way, or help keep the nominated trusted contact informed. Attendance cannot be guaranteed and will always be secondary to contacting the appropriate emergency service first.
If Local Family Links notices something concerning about a loved one’s safety, wellbeing or circumstances, the concern will be considered carefully and discussed with the loved one where appropriate. With their consent, it may also be raised with their nominated trusted contact.
If a safeguarding concern is considered serious enough, the appropriate safeguarding, health, emergency or other relevant authority will be contacted. The concern, actions taken and any referrals or reports made will be recorded clearly. Local Family Links is not an emergency response service.
If you are unhappy with any part of the service, please email [email protected] with as much detail as possible. Please include the nature of the complaint, what happened, when it happened, who was involved where relevant, and what you would like Local Family Links to consider or resolve.
Your complaint will be acknowledged, reviewed fairly and responded to as soon as reasonably possible. Raising a complaint will not affect the support provided to your loved one.
Important information about how Local Family Links operates, protects your information and provides its services.
These Terms & Conditions apply to services provided by Local Family Links Ltd, trading as Local Family Links.
Company number: 17389379. Registered office: Shalom, Gellideg, Llandovery, Wales, SA20 0DB. Registered in Wales.
We want Local Family Links to be clear and straightforward about how the service works. These terms explain the main arrangements around support plans, visits, additional services, payments, information sharing and what loved ones can expect from us.
Local Family Links is designed to provide practical, non-medical support to loved ones and reassurance to their families and trusted contacts.
Local Family Links provides practical home support, household administration, technology support, regular visits, help accessing outside services and liaison with an agreed trusted contact.
Local Family Links is not:
A no-obligation initial phone consultation helps establish whether the service is suitable for the prospective loved one.
Where a loved one’s needs fall outside the support Local Family Links can safely and appropriately provide, we may be unable to offer the service or may recommend that it is used alongside other appropriate support.
The loved one’s safety, wellbeing and interests will always be important when deciding whether the service is suitable.
Before a Local Family Links Membership begins, an Initial Support Planning Visit is normally carried out to understand the loved one’s circumstances, existing support, practical priorities, the suitability of Local Family Links and what ongoing support may be useful.
The £50 fee covers the visit, review time afterwards, relevant research and preparation of a suggested support arrangement or summary.
The Independent Living Home Review is a separate structured home-environment process. Where appropriate, it may be completed during membership onboarding or at an agreed later visit depending on time and circumstances. A complete Home Review is not guaranteed within the Initial Support Planning Visit.
If the loved one then starts the Local Family Links Membership, the £50 fee is deducted from the first membership payment.
Local Family Links may provide support to one loved one or to two loved ones living together in the same household. Where appropriate, one Local Family Links Membership may cover both people and the shared household; a couple does not automatically need two memberships simply because both receive some benefit from the service.
Whether the membership is suitable will depend on the amount of visit time, administration, follow-up and support required. If supporting both people materially increases the workload beyond what the membership reasonably covers, the arrangement may be reviewed and additional visits or another appropriate service suggested. If less support is required over time, the suitability of the ongoing arrangement may also be reviewed. Any change must be discussed and agreed before it takes effect.
Each adult remains responsible for their own decisions where they have the capacity and legal authority to make them. Being a spouse, civil partner or partner does not automatically give one person authority to make financial, household, health or other decisions on behalf of the other.
Where one person holds a valid Lasting Power of Attorney or other recognised legal authority for the other, Local Family Links will respect that authority according to its type, scope and circumstances.
Support is provided with the loved one’s knowledge and agreement, and they should remain involved in decisions wherever possible.
Local Family Links will not take control of a loved one’s affairs simply because support has been requested. Consent to contact organisations, share information or involve a trusted contact will be agreed appropriately.
Where a couple is supported, each person can have their own consent preferences and may nominate the same trusted contact or different trusted contacts. Information concerning one person will not automatically be shared simply because their spouse or partner has agreed.
Shared household matters may be discussed jointly where both people have agreed, while personal information and individual decisions will remain separate where appropriate. A trusted contact, spouse or partner is not automatically a legally authorised attorney.
Local Family Links may audio-record an agreed visit or relevant conversation to maintain an accurate contemporaneous record of matters discussed, instructions given by the loved one, decisions or choices made, actions agreed, permissions or authorisations given, information supplied and follow-up work Local Family Links has been asked to undertake.
The purpose of recording is to improve accuracy and accountability and reduce the risk of misunderstandings about what was discussed or agreed. Where appropriate, an accurate recording may also assist in protecting the loved one, any authorised trusted person involved, Local Family Links and its staff if a disagreement, complaint or query later arises. A recording does not provide absolute legal protection or guarantee the outcome of any dispute.
Local Family Links will not knowingly audio-record a visit without informing the people taking part. Where recording is intended, it will be explained beforehand and the appropriate authorisation or consent will be obtained and recorded. People taking part will have a clear opportunity to ask questions about the recording arrangements.
If another person is actively participating in the conversation, such as a trusted family member, representative, visiting professional, tradesperson or another third party, Local Family Links will make that person aware that recording is taking place and obtain any authorisation required before including them. Covert recording does not form part of the normal Local Family Links service.
Where Local Family Links relies on consent, a person may refuse permission or withdraw that consent. If consent is withdrawn, Local Family Links will stop making new recordings covered by it. Refusing audio recording will not automatically prevent someone from receiving support. Where an accurate record is particularly important because of the work requested, another suitable method may be used, such as written notes, confirmation forms or written approval.
Recordings are made only for legitimate service, record-keeping, quality, accountability and dispute-resolution purposes. They will not be used for unrelated purposes or published or used for marketing, publicity or social media without separate specific permission.
Audio recordings will be treated as confidential information. They will be stored securely, accessible only to authorised Local Family Links personnel, and protected against inappropriate access, loss or disclosure. Audio recordings are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were made and in accordance with the Local Family Links data-retention policy.
Recordings will not routinely be provided to family members, trusted contacts, funders, referring organisations or other third parties. A recording or information from it may be shared only where there is an appropriate lawful reason, including where the loved one has authorised sharing, where it is necessary to provide an agreed service, where disclosure is legally required, where it is necessary and lawful in relation to safeguarding or serious risk, or in connection with a legitimate complaint, insurance or legal matter where disclosure is lawful and proportionate. Any sharing will be limited to what is reasonably necessary.
The presence of a trusted person does not automatically authorise them to make decisions for the loved one. A recording may document what was discussed and who gave particular instructions, but Local Family Links will still follow its normal consent, capacity and authority procedures. Where someone acts under a valid legal authority, such as a relevant Power of Attorney, that authority must be separately established and recorded where applicable.
Audio recordings may contain personal information and sometimes particularly sensitive information, including details about health or support needs. They will be processed in accordance with applicable data-protection law and the Local Family Links Privacy Policy.
With permission, Local Family Links may help make calls, write letters, complete forms and communicate with organisations on the loved one’s behalf.
Some organisations may require the loved one to:
Where required, the work will normally be completed during a visit with the loved one present. Local Family Links does not have automatic authority to act on anyone’s account.
Local Family Links supports the loved one in organising and progressing household administration. Some matters may take more than one visit.
Documents should normally remain with the loved one unless there is a specific agreed reason for temporary handling, copying, scanning or uploading. Relevant documents may be securely stored or shared electronically where agreed.
Local Family Links does not:
We may help review bills, compare services, explain paperwork and assist with administration, but the loved one or their legally authorised representative remains responsible for financial decisions and payments.
A trusted contact may be nominated by the loved one. Where consent is in place, visit updates may include:
The level of information shared will depend on the consent agreed with the loved one.
Where a couple shares a support plan, one trusted contact may receive a household-level update where both loved ones have agreed. A report may cover shared household matters and individual actions where appropriate, but separate personal information will only be included where the consent of the person concerned allows.
Local Family Links may help identify local authority, charitable, community or government support the loved one could potentially access.
Help may include forms, applications, supporting information and contact with relevant organisations. Local Family Links cannot guarantee that an application will be accepted, funding awarded or a loved one found eligible.
Local Family Links may help locate or coordinate independent gardeners, cleaners, handymen, plumbers, electricians and other practical service providers.
We may identify what is required, seek potential providers, advertise a job, obtain proposed prices or quotes, liaise between the parties and help coordinate the initial arrangement.
Unless specifically stated otherwise:
We will take reasonable care when helping identify providers, but the final decision to appoint them remains with the loved one or trusted contact.
Local Family Links will maintain appropriate business insurance for the services provided. If accidental damage to a loved one’s property is caused directly by Local Family Links while carrying out agreed work, the matter will be recorded and dealt with appropriately, including through the relevant insurance policy where the circumstances are covered.
Insurance cover is subject to the terms, limits, exclusions and excesses of the policy in force at the time. Local Family Links cannot accept responsibility for pre-existing damage, normal wear and tear, faults unrelated to the work being carried out, or damage caused by third-party contractors or service providers.
Any accidental damage or incident should be reported as soon as reasonably possible so that it can be documented and, where appropriate, referred to the insurer.
During ordinary visits, Local Family Links may notice and raise practical issues such as cluttered walkways, loose rugs, poor lighting or obvious trip and fall risks.
We may help make simple practical changes where appropriate or help arrange additional support. This is not an occupational therapy assessment, building inspection, fire-risk assessment or specialist safety inspection.
The Independent Living Home Review is a practical, non-clinical review of the home environment. It is not an Occupational Therapy assessment, medical assessment, building survey, fire-risk assessment or specialist accessibility inspection.
Observations reflect the conditions visible and information available at the time of the visit. Local Family Links does not guarantee that every possible hazard, defect, accessibility problem or relevant issue will be identified. Areas that are not reasonably visible, accessible or included in the agreed scope may not be reviewed.
Recommendations are practical suggestions or signposting rather than clinical prescriptions. Where professional assessment or specification is appropriate, responsibility remains with the relevant qualified professional. The customer remains responsible for deciding whether to act on practical suggestions.
Relevant photographs and measurements may form part of the agreed report. Measurements may be approximate and will be identified as such where applicable. The report reflects the home at the time it is carried out.
Equipment, materials, installation and additional work are not included unless expressly agreed. Third-party work remains subject to the website’s third-party-worker terms. Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where doing so would be unlawful.
Local Family Links may install, configure, troubleshoot and explain TVs, phones, tablets, Wi-Fi, smart speakers, streaming services, smart plugs, motion lighting and similar household technology.
Where third-party equipment, subscriptions or internet services are involved, the provider’s own terms and warranties continue to apply.
Local Family Links may help research, source or coordinate straightforward equipment, household products and practical improvements. The proposed product, work and any supply, coordination or installation charge will be separately identified and agreed before purchase or commitment wherever possible.
Local Family Links does not independently prescribe specialist medical or mobility equipment. Where professional assessment or specification is appropriate, this must be obtained first. Substantial adaptations and specialist installations fall outside ordinary Local Family Links practical work unless separately and appropriately arranged, and work requiring qualified tradespeople should be completed by appropriate persons.
The loved one remains free to purchase elsewhere. Where an appropriate statutory, charitable or community route may exist, Local Family Links should make this clear. Product and manufacturer warranties and third-party terms remain applicable, and Local Family Links will not add purchases to a loved one’s account without appropriate approval.
The purpose of a Home Review is to identify practical matters and appropriate next steps, not simply to generate sales for Local Family Links.
Where appropriate, Local Family Links may identify statutory, charitable, community or professional services that could help. The customer is never required to purchase equipment, materials or additional services from Local Family Links.
Where Local Family Links offers separately charged follow-on work, equipment sourcing or coordination, the proposed service and cost will be explained separately and must be agreed before proceeding.
Professional commissioned surveys will remain separate from private sales activity unless a completely separate service is subsequently requested and appropriately agreed.
Local Family Links does not routinely undertake personal shopping or handle shopping money.
We may help establish what is needed, set up supermarket deliveries or online shopping accounts, and arrange recurring household orders where appropriate. The loved one or their authorised representative remains responsible for approving and paying for purchases.
Local Family Links takes concerns about a loved one’s safety, wellbeing or circumstances seriously. Where appropriate, a concern may first be discussed with the loved one and, with appropriate consent, may also be shared with their nominated trusted contact.
Where a safeguarding concern is considered sufficiently serious, Local Family Links may contact the appropriate safeguarding authority, health service, emergency service or other relevant professional body. Safeguarding concerns, decisions, actions taken, referrals and reports will be recorded appropriately.
Where there is an immediate danger or emergency, the appropriate emergency service should be contacted first. Local Family Links is not an emergency response service.
Local Family Links is not an emergency, medical or emergency-response service. In any emergency or situation requiring urgent professional assistance, the appropriate emergency or professional service must be contacted first.
Local Family Links must not be used as an alternative to calling 999, NHS services, police, fire and rescue, safeguarding services or another appropriate professional service. Where there is an immediate risk to life or safety, emergency services always take priority.
Once the appropriate service has been contacted, Local Family Links may, depending on availability and the circumstances, be able to attend to provide practical reassurance and companionship. Where appropriate, Local Family Links may remain with the loved one while professional help is awaited and may help keep the nominated trusted contact informed where consent and circumstances allow.
Attendance in urgent situations is not guaranteed and depends on availability, location and whether it is safe and appropriate to attend. Local Family Links does not provide medical treatment, personal care or clinical assessment.
Complaints can be submitted to [email protected]. Please include as much relevant information as possible, including the nature of the issue, relevant dates, what happened, who was involved where relevant and the outcome being sought.
Complaints will be acknowledged, reviewed fairly and handled respectfully with appropriate confidentiality. A response will be provided as soon as reasonably possible.
Making a complaint will not disadvantage the loved one or affect their right to appropriate support. If a complaint raises a safeguarding or safety concern, Local Family Links may also need to deal with the matter under its safeguarding procedures.
Some practical jobs and technology services may be purchased separately without a monthly visit plan.
Additional work outside the agreed regular service may carry an additional charge. This may include a request to attend a specific additional appointment, engineer visit, tradesperson visit or other event where appropriate.
The work and any separate charge will be discussed and agreed before it begins.
The scope of any additional work, travel requirements and the cost of any separately purchased equipment or third-party services will be agreed in advance wherever possible.
The Local Family Links Membership includes two one-hour home visits each month, together with reasonable agreed administration, research, reporting and follow-up connected with those visits.
Additional visits are subject to availability and may be charged separately. The current standard charge for an additional visit is £100.
The membership can be reviewed as needs change. A review may be suggested by Local Family Links, the loved one or their nominated trusted contact and can consider whether the membership remains suitable, whether additional visits may help, or whether another appropriate service would better meet the need. The loved one will remain involved, and any change will be discussed and agreed before it takes effect.
For a shared household membership, a review can consider whether one or both loved ones need more support, whether the household needs more or less help, and whether the included visits still provide enough time for both people.
The Local Family Links Membership includes scheduled visits for ongoing practical support. Each scheduled visit has a wider purpose and is not simply a block of time reserved for individual household jobs.
Scheduled visits may include:
Practical tasks such as technology setup, minor practical jobs or other agreed support can be carried out during a scheduled visit where sufficient time is available. The important checks and agreed support that form part of the membership should not be displaced simply in order to complete a longer practical task.
If a practical task cannot be completed within the available time during a scheduled visit, the remaining work may be continued at a future scheduled visit. If the loved one or nominated trusted contact would prefer the task to be completed sooner, additional time or an additional appointment may be arranged.
Any additional time or appointment is subject to availability, falls outside the included scheduled visit allowance, is charged separately, and will be discussed and agreed before the additional work is carried out.
The fact that another scheduled membership visit remains later in the month does not automatically mean that extra or earlier attendance is included free of charge. The regular spacing of scheduled visits forms part of the ongoing support and continuity provided by Local Family Links.
Equipment, materials, replacement items and third-party services are not included in the membership price unless specifically stated otherwise. Any proposed additional cost will be explained and agreed before Local Family Links purchases equipment, commits to a third-party service or carries out separately chargeable additional time.
Community Link is a separate, lighter-touch preventative programme being developed by Local Family Links. It is not currently operating and there are no funded Community Link places available.
The programme will only launch if suitable external grant, public, community or commissioned funding and places have been secured. Future availability may depend on:
If Community Link launches, funding will not be guaranteed permanently. If funding later expires, is withdrawn, reduced or is not renewed, Local Family Links may need to reduce places, pause support or end the programme. Where reasonably possible, participants would receive advance notice. Nobody would automatically become liable for private membership charges because funding ended.
No Community Link waiting list is currently open. A future programme may use a waiting list, depending on its funding or commissioning arrangements. Joining any future waiting list would not guarantee funding, a place or eligibility.
The planned model is one focused visit each month, normally with approximately 45 minutes spent with the participant and approximately 15 minutes used for the required visit record or report. Participants would be encouraged to keep letters, bills, questions, paperwork and practical matters together so the visit could be used efficiently. Local Family Links would work through as much as reasonably possible, with non-urgent unfinished matters noted for a future visit and only brief necessary follow-up included.
The planned Community Link service would not normally include:
A future funding arrangement may allow a participant to purchase an additional focused visit privately, subject to availability, suitability and the relevant programme conditions. Any private visit would remain financially and administratively separate and would not automatically move the participant onto the Local Family Links Membership.
If a future participant regularly required substantially more support, Local Family Links could review whether Community Link remained appropriate and discuss private membership, another Local Family Links service, or signposting or referral elsewhere. Any decision affecting a funded place would be handled fairly and in accordance with the applicable programme conditions.
Community Link would not be an emergency-response service, domiciliary care, personal care, a medical service, a medication-management service or a replacement for health, social-care or emergency services. It is being designed as focused preventative practical support for people whose needs may not fit neatly within existing services.
Any future grant, public-sector scheme or commissioned programme may impose additional requirements concerning eligibility, duration, reporting, geography, participant numbers, service delivery or use of funding.
Where a Local Family Links agreement, including a separately purchased Home Review, is entered into at a distance, such as by telephone or online, or away from normal business premises, the customer may have a statutory right to cancel the agreement within 14 days without giving a reason.
This statutory cooling-off period is separate from the normal one-month notice period that applies once a rolling monthly Local Family Links Membership is established.
If the loved one asks Local Family Links to begin providing a Home Review, Initial Support Planning Visit or other service during the 14-day cooling-off period, an express request must be obtained before the service begins. Where services have already been provided at the customer’s request before cancellation, any amount properly payable will be handled in accordance with applicable consumer law.
Nothing in these Terms & Conditions is intended to remove or restrict statutory consumer rights.
The Local Family Links Membership operates on a rolling monthly basis and requires one month’s notice to cancel. The normal service will continue during the notice period.
Requests to rearrange an individual scheduled visit should be made with as much notice as reasonably possible. Where sufficient notice is given and the diary allows, one alternative appointment will normally be offered.
Repeated requests to move the same visit are not guaranteed and may mean that the visit cannot be rearranged within that period.
If a visit is moved specifically so Local Family Links can attend for an engineer, tradesperson or other appointment, this may be treated as additional support depending on the circumstances. Any additional charge will be discussed and agreed beforehand.
Additional and short-notice requests are subject to availability. Local Family Links does not guarantee 24-hour availability, and emergency situations fall outside the service.
The price of the Local Family Links Membership will be confirmed before the service begins. Payment arrangements and payment dates will be agreed with the customer.
Additional work outside the membership may carry an additional charge. Any additional charge will be discussed and agreed before the work goes ahead.
Separately purchased equipment, materials or third-party services are not included unless specifically stated. Invoices should clearly show what is being charged, and Local Family Links does not add undisclosed charges.
Nothing in these payment terms affects statutory consumer rights.
Personal information, visit notes, scanned documents and trusted-contact information will be collected and used only where reasonably necessary to provide the service.
Information will be stored and shared securely. More detailed information will be provided in the website Privacy Policy.
The loved one remains in control of decisions about their home, services, spending and day-to-day life wherever they have the capacity to make those decisions. Local Family Links is there to provide information, practical support and another pair of eyes, not to take control of someone’s affairs.
Where two loved ones live together, both remain involved in decisions that affect them. Shared household decisions can be discussed together, while personal decisions remain with the individual concerned wherever they have capacity to make them.
A nominated trusted contact can be involved in discussions and provide another perspective where the loved one has agreed to this, but being a trusted contact alone does not give them legal authority to make decisions on the loved one’s behalf.
Where a trusted contact holds a valid Lasting Power of Attorney or other recognised legal authority, their involvement will depend on the type and scope of that authority and the circumstances in which it can be used. Where there is uncertainty about capacity or legal authority, Local Family Links will not make that determination itself and appropriate professional advice may be sought.
“Terms & Conditions may be updated as Local Family Links develops its systems, procedures and services. Where appropriate, the current version will be made available through the website.”
This Privacy Policy explains how Local Family Links may collect, use, share and protect personal information while providing its services.
Local Family Links Ltd, trading as Local Family Links, provides practical home support, household administration, technology help, welfare visits and liaison with nominated trusted contacts.
Company number: 17389379
Registered office: Shalom, Gellideg, Llandovery, Wales, SA20 0DB
Registered in: Wales
Email: [email protected]
Where relevant to providing the service, Local Family Links may collect:
Where information includes health or other special-category personal data, Local Family Links will identify and document the appropriate lawful basis and additional condition required before processing it.
Local Family Links does not store bank-card details or online banking credentials.
Information may be used to:
Community Link is still in development, no funded places are currently available and no waiting list is currently open. If an externally funded or commissioned programme launches, Local Family Links may need to collect information reasonably required to respond to enquiries, assess eligibility and suitability, administer referrals or waiting lists, arrange visits and provide the programme safely.
This could include contact details, age or date of birth where relevant, emergency and trusted-contact details, referral information, assessment information, practical support needs, visit records, outstanding actions and eligibility information required by the applicable programme.
Some information may relate to health, disability, mobility, support needs, vulnerability or other sensitive circumstances. Any future processing would require an appropriate UK GDPR lawful basis and, where special-category personal data is involved, an additional condition for that processing.
If Community Link launches, relevant information may be used to respond to enquiries, assess suitability or eligibility, administer funded or commissioned places, arrange and provide visits, maintain appropriate records, manage any programme waiting list, address safeguarding matters, evaluate the programme, meet legitimate funding requirements and contact participants about programme availability or changes.
The precise information collected and purposes for using it will depend on the future funding or commissioning arrangement and will be explained when appropriate.
Information will only be shared with a nominated trusted contact according to the consent and permissions agreed with the loved one, except where disclosure may be required because of a serious safeguarding concern, legal requirement or immediate risk.
Possible updates may include:
Where Local Family Links supports a couple living in the same home, some information may relate to the household as a whole, such as utilities, appointments, household services or shared practical arrangements.
Other information may relate specifically to one individual. Local Family Links will aim to keep individual information, consent preferences and personal matters appropriately separate where required.
Information about one person will not automatically be shared with their spouse, partner or trusted contact simply because they live together. Sharing will depend on the person’s consent, safeguarding requirements or other valid legal authority.
Where a couple use the same nominated trusted contact, the information that can be shared with that contact will still reflect the consent given by each individual.
Information may sometimes need to be shared with relevant organisations when necessary to carry out an agreed task or where there is a legitimate safeguarding, legal or safety reason.
This could include utility or household-service providers, local authorities, health or safeguarding services, government departments, charities or community organisations, and tradespeople or third-party services where the loved one has agreed.
Receiving a funded service does not by itself mean personal information will be shared. Information will only be shared where there is an appropriate legal basis or other lawful reason, and only information reasonably necessary for the particular purpose should be shared. Where Local Family Links relies on consent, that consent should be properly recorded and capable of being withdrawn where applicable.
If Community Link launches, organisations funding or commissioning it may require information about how the programme is performing. Wherever reasonably possible, Local Family Links would provide anonymised information, aggregated statistics or non-identifiable outcome data.
This could include participant numbers, visits delivered, broad categories of practical issues addressed, broad outcome information or demographic information where legitimately required and appropriately handled.
Identifiable personal information would not routinely be shared with funders or commissioners. It would only be supplied where genuinely necessary, permitted or required under the programme arrangement, supported by an appropriate lawful basis, explained to the individual as required and subject to any additional consent or legal condition that applies.
No Community Link referral route or waiting list is currently open. If the programme launches, participants may be able to enquire directly or be referred by an appropriate organisation, depending on the funding or commissioning arrangement.
Local Family Links may then receive relevant personal information from a referring organisation and would provide its own privacy information where appropriate. Any future waiting-list information would be used only to administer that list, make contact about suitable places and reassess eligibility or suitability where necessary, and would be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary.
Local Family Links may create visit notes and may scan or copy relevant paperwork where agreed. Records may include shared household notes and documents, as well as individual notes or documents relating specifically to one person.
Where two loved ones are supported, separate consent records and trusted-contact permissions may be kept so each person’s choices remain clear without making ordinary shared household arrangements unnecessarily complicated.
Original important documents should normally remain with the loved one. Any temporary handling of an original document should be agreed and recorded. Electronic documents and records should be stored with appropriate security measures.
Photographs will only be taken where relevant to an agreed Home Review or professional information request and where the appropriate permission and access arrangements are in place. Local Family Links will not deliberately photograph unnecessary personal items or documents.
Photographs, measurements and home-environment observations form part of the service record. They should be stored securely, shared only with appropriate authorised recipients and retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were collected.
A future professional referral or commissioning arrangement may impose additional data-processing, security, retention and transfer requirements. These would be established before that service begins.
The professional Home Environment Information Survey is currently in development and is not open for referrals.
If it launches, Local Family Links may receive referral information from an appropriate organisation and may operate under contractual or data-processing arrangements agreed with that organisation. Information may include health-related or other sensitive information.
The precise controller and processor responsibilities, lawful bases, special-category conditions, security requirements, retention arrangements and secure transfer methods will depend on the commissioning or referral arrangement and must be agreed before professional referrals begin.
With appropriate notice and authorisation, Local Family Links may audio-record some visits or conversations. Recordings help us maintain an accurate account of what was discussed, what instructions or permissions were given, what work was agreed and what actions may be required afterwards. They can also help clarify events if a question, complaint or misunderstanding later arises.
Recordings are not made automatically for every loved one or every visit. Before a recording is made, the intended recording arrangements will be explained and any consent or other appropriate authorisation relied upon will be recorded. Where consent is the lawful basis being relied upon, it may be refused or withdrawn, and new recordings covered by that consent will stop.
Depending on the circumstances, Local Family Links will rely on an appropriate lawful basis under applicable data-protection law for making and using a recording. If a recording contains special-category information, such as information about health or support needs, an additional lawful condition will also be required.
Audio recordings are treated as confidential personal information. They will be stored securely, protected against inappropriate access, loss or disclosure, and accessible only to authorised Local Family Links personnel who have a legitimate reason to use them.
Audio recordings are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which they were made and in accordance with the Local Family Links data-retention policy.
Recordings are not routinely shared with family members, trusted contacts, funders, referring organisations or other third parties. A recording or relevant information from it may be shared where the individual has authorised it, where it is necessary to provide an agreed service, where disclosure is legally required, where it is necessary and lawful for safeguarding or serious-risk purposes, or in connection with a legitimate complaint, insurance or legal matter. Any sharing will be lawful, proportionate and limited to what is reasonably necessary.
A recording may contain information about more than one person. Local Family Links will take account of the privacy and data-protection rights of everyone whose personal information appears in it when responding to access requests or considering disclosure.
Depending on applicable data-protection law, individuals may have rights relating to recordings containing their personal information, including rights to request access or correction, request deletion or restriction in some circumstances, object to certain uses, and withdraw consent where consent is relied upon. Privacy questions or requests can be sent to [email protected].
While the dedicated trusted-contact and member area is being developed, agreed updates may be provided by methods such as email or WhatsApp where the loved one and trusted contact have agreed that method.
The communication method will be discussed and agreed. The dedicated member area is not currently operational.
Personal information will only be kept for as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including providing the service, meeting legal or safeguarding responsibilities and maintaining appropriate business records.
Reasonable steps will be taken to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, inappropriate disclosure and misuse.
Access to records should be limited to those who genuinely need it for the service.
Depending on applicable data-protection law, individuals may have rights relating to their personal information. These may include asking:
Privacy enquiries can be sent to [email protected].
Confidentiality is important but cannot always be absolute. Where Local Family Links reasonably believes there is a serious safeguarding concern, immediate risk of harm or a legal requirement to disclose information, relevant information may be shared with the appropriate authority or professional service.
Any disclosure should be limited to what is reasonably necessary and recorded appropriately.
This Privacy Policy may be updated as Local Family Links develops its systems, procedures and services.
Where appropriate, the current version will be made available through the website.
“The Privacy Policy may be updated as Local Family Links develops its systems, procedures and services. Where appropriate, the current version will be made available through the website.”
Local Family Links Ltd, trading as Local Family Links, takes concerns about a loved one’s safety, wellbeing or circumstances seriously. Concerns will be considered carefully, recognised and recorded, and discussed with the loved one where appropriate.
With appropriate consent, concerns may be shared with the nominated trusted contact. Consent and confidentiality are important, but they may not prevent a necessary disclosure where there is a serious safeguarding concern, immediate risk of harm or legal requirement.
Where a serious concern or risk exists, Local Family Links may contact the appropriate safeguarding authority, health service, emergency service or other relevant professional body. Decisions, actions, referrals and reports will be recorded appropriately.
Where there is an immediate danger or emergency, the appropriate emergency service should be contacted first. Local Family Links is not an emergency-response service.
Complaints about services provided by Local Family Links Ltd, trading as Local Family Links, can be submitted to [email protected]. Please include as much relevant information as possible, including the nature of the issue, relevant dates, what happened, who was involved where relevant and the outcome being sought.
Complaints will be acknowledged, reviewed fairly and handled respectfully with appropriate confidentiality. A response will be provided as soon as reasonably possible.
Making a complaint will not disadvantage the loved one or affect their right to appropriate support. If a complaint raises a safeguarding or safety concern, Local Family Links may also need to deal with the matter under its safeguarding procedures.
Local Family Links aims to make this website clear and accessible to as many people as possible, including loved ones and family members who may have visual, hearing, cognitive or mobility-related accessibility needs.
We aim to use clear language, readable text, good colour contrast, straightforward navigation and layouts that work across different screen sizes.
If you experience difficulty accessing any part of this website or need information in another format, please contact [email protected] and we will do our best to help.
This website may use essential cookies required for basic functionality.
If optional analytics, advertising or tracking cookies are introduced, visitors will be given appropriate information and choices. Optional cookies should not be activated before any required consent has been obtained.
Cookie settings and this policy may be updated as the website develops.
If you would like to talk through your loved one’s situation and see whether Local Family Links could help, leave your phone number and I’ll get in touch for a friendly, no-obligation conversation.
For anything else, you can email [email protected].