Frequently asked questions

Empatha is a care-matching platform that connects families and individuals with verified carers and companions, based on location, care needs, expertise, availability, and personality fit.

Personal care support, companionship care, and live-in or visiting care — including hourly visits, recurring care, overnight support, respite care, and full live-in arrangements.

Carer availability varies by area — when you submit a care request, you'll only be matched with carers who genuinely cover your location and travel radius.

Most care requests receive matches within 24 hours. Complex or specialist requirements may take a little longer as we make sure any match genuinely fits.

Yes — secure in-app messaging is available with any matched carer, so you can ask questions or arrange an introductory call before committing to anything.

You can request new matches at any time, and there's no obligation to book any carer you're introduced to. You can also update your care request if your needs change.

Yes — one-off, recurring, overnight, respite, live-in and trial sessions are all supported, and recurring bookings can be adjusted or paused as needs change.

Every carer completes identity verification, an enhanced DBS check (with Adults' Barred List checks for personal care roles), right-to-work confirmation, reference review, and signs our safeguarding policy and code of conduct — reviewed and approved by our admin team before their profile goes live.

Yes — every carer profile displays a clear verification badge, and only fully verified carers ever appear in your matches.

You can report an issue directly through the platform at any time. Our team reviews every report, and urgent safeguarding concerns are escalated immediately.

Yes — sensitive data like medical details and verification documents are encrypted and access-controlled. See our trust & safety page for the full picture.

Yes — creating a care request, browsing matches, and messaging carers are all free. You only pay once you book a visit.

You pay exactly the carer's advertised rate, shown clearly on their profile before you book — no hidden markup. See our pricing page for the full breakdown.

Secure card payments through the platform. Your card details are never shared directly with a carer.

Every booking shows its cancellation policy before you confirm. Eligible refunds are processed automatically back to your original payment method.

Once you've uploaded your documents (ID, DBS, references), most applications are reviewed within a few working days.

No — you can accept or decline any booking request, and you're only shown opportunities that match your stated availability, radius and skills in the first place.

Payouts are released after each completed visit, with full visibility of your earnings in your dashboard at every stage.