Phil Eckersley
Founder and Managing Director
“Becoming a Franchise Partner with Bridgewater Home Care is a life changing opportunity to gain financial control of your future and achieve a better work-life balance. You will positively change the lives of those you serve in your local community. It is not just owning a business; it is becoming a respected leader and a catalyst for change.” – Phil Eckersley, Founder
Welcome to the Bridgewater Home Care Franchise Opportunity. You will learn more about our brand and about the business model we have available to you. For us, it is not just about providing high quality care to our clients, it is about going above and beyond expectations to enable our clients and their families to receive more from care. From the reason the company was established through to everything it stands for today our pillars of ‘Quality, Reliability and Trust’ resonate through everything we do at Bridgewater Home Care, we hope you feel inspired to truly make a difference through becoming part of our family.
Bridgewater Home Care is a home-grown UK business. Our journey began in 2010 after our founder Phil Eckersley, a former franchisee himself of three years, wanted to create a franchise opportunity like no other. As a result, Phil has spearheaded a successful home care franchise that:
These are just some of the reasons why the business has gone from strength to strength over the past 14 years.
Our care specialists are at the centre of everything that we do at Bridgewater Home Care, and we provide them with the support they need to exceed client expectations. With this mission in mind, we’ve dedicated ourselves to:
When you work with us, we’re always here to support you, share best practice, and help you to overcome any challenges. In being a part of our team, you will become a part of the Bridgewater family.
Our territories are located within the North West and the Midlands. We’re eager to work with prospective franchisees across the UK. We have offices all over the UK with some fantastic territories still available.
“Becoming a Franchise Partner with Bridgewater Home Care is a life-changing opportunity to make a real difference in your local community.
“As a franchisee, you will benefit from the decades of knowledge and first-hand experience of the care sector, with support that will help propel your business forward. Along with a better balance between your professional and personal life, you will be positively changing the lives of those you serve in your local community.
“Being a Bridgewater Home Care franchise partner is not just about owning a business; it’s about becoming a respected leader and a catalyst for change.”
Other benefits of working with Bridgewater Home Care include:
Our founder and managing director, Phil Eckersley, brings invaluable first-hand experience as a former franchisee to guide you through your journey. With Phil’s insights, you’ll:
Phil’s mentorship will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully run and grow your Bridgewater Home Care franchise. Embark on your franchising journey with confidence, knowing you have an experienced mentor by your side every step of the way.
Join Bridgewater Home Care and tap into a wealth of expertise that sets us apart in the franchise industry.
Some franchises in the home care sector only have a limited number of territories available, meaning prospective franchisees have to bid for them.
Bridgewater Home Care works differently.
We offer our franchisees the chance to build a bespoke territory around their own local area – so you can choose the territory that is right for you.
Being supported through your franchisee process is one thing, but having the tools you need to excel in providing outstanding care is another. As a Bridgewater Home Care franchisee, you’ll harness the power of our advanced, bespoke technology to streamline your business and deliver exceptional care:
Comprehensive operational system
CareHub: your all-in-one management solution
Effortless administration
Experience the ease of running a modern, tech-enabled franchise. Our cutting-edge tools save you valuable time, allowing you to focus on what matters most: providing outstanding home care services and growing your business.
Attracting clients is essential for any home care service, and with Bridgewater Home Care, you’ll have the advantage of expert marketing support. Our dedicated franchise support team- including marketing specialists, will work closely with you to create a compelling online presence.
Customised website setup
We will help you establish a professional website designed to drive traffic and connect with your target audience effectively.
Optimised social media profiles
Our team will ensure that both national and local social media pages are well-crafted and engaging, maximising inquiries from potential clients and care specialists.
Specialist SEO management
Our resources also extend to SEO management – so we can get your website the online visibility it deserves and ultimately drive traffic.
With our comprehensive marketing resources, you’ll be well-equipped to showcase your services and attract the clients you deserve.
Following our first conversation, we’ll invite you to take part in an online assessment, as well as a telephone or video interview. This helps us ensure that our partnership will be a success. You’ll receive feedback based on 3 outcomes: approved, development needed, or not suitable. Where there are multiple candidates interested in a territory, you may need to undergo further assessment.
Our franchise process begins with a discovery meeting. This gives us an opportunity to get to know each other, such as finding what appeals to you about becoming a franchisee, and whether Bridgewater is the right fit for you.
After the discovery meeting, we support the prospective franchisee by finding out what finance they might require and asking them to complete a business plan. We feedback on this, and once everything is finalised they agree on their exclusive territory.
After a successful assessment process, you are now ready to launch your Bridgewater Home Care franchise! We will provide you with the following start up support:
Founder and Managing Director
Founder and Managing Director
A graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small business programme, Phil’s moved from his initial career in construction finance to home care. This was driven by his desire to address the shortcomings he observed following the care of his grandmother. Under his leadership, Bridgewater Home Care has been recognised for its excellence, winning awards such as Employer of the Year, Game Changer of the Year, and Scale-Up Disrupter of the Year.
Brand Compliance Manager
Brand Compliance Manager
With over 20 years of experience in the care sector, Sally has held various roles during this time including carer, field care supervisor, team manager, and registered manager. These diverse experiences have helped Sally gain a keen eye for detail and fueled her passion for upholding high standards of care. Sally is dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of Bridgewater’s service delivery meets the highest standards set by regulatory bodies.
Finance Manager
Finance Manager
As Finance Manager, Tracy is responsible for all aspects of the accounting function for the businesses, such as home care, and more recently, the franchise business. Home care is completely different in every way from Tracey’s previous career experiences, but she enjoys witnessing the benefits a quality care provider can bring to the lives of Bridgewater’s clients and their families.
Recruitment and Training Manager
Recruitment and Training Manager
After spending 25 years in the hospitality industry, Maxine felt ready for a new challenge in care - where she could make a meaningful impact. Maxine oversees the development and implementation of comprehensive training programs focused on best practices, regulatory compliance, and continuous professional development.
Franchise Support Consultant
Franchise Support Consultant
Len Rainford is a seasoned franchise consultant with over 30 years of experience in the franchising industry. As the founder of The Franchise Specialist, he offers comprehensive services including franchise feasibility studies, package development, franchisee recruitment, and ongoing support for franchisors.
Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Olivia joined Bridgewater Home Care in 2021, after a successful career in professional services. A business development project in the care sector ignited her passion for the field, leading her to join Bridgewater Home Care. Her role entails working on the digital marketing strategy for the brand as a whole, supporting individual offices with their digital marketing. This includes anything from social media content creation to online advertising.
No business model is without its challenges. Here are some you might encounter when becoming a franchisee – as well as how Bridgewater helps you overcome them:
One challenge you might face when you become a franchisee is getting value for your money. After all, buying a franchise is an investment that you’ll want to see a return on.
This can be hard to find when it comes to working with certain franchises that favour their own profitability over helping their franchisees. But, working with Bridgewater Home Care is different. We see ourselves as ‘the franchise built for franchisees’.
From day one, you will have access to a full suite of operations systems that are all included in the monthly service fee. What’s more, you receive unlimited support – including monthly mentoring sessions with Phil in your first year, and regular ongoing audits from our standards team. So you can be sure you’re getting the best value for money.
If you have no experience in the care sector, the prospect of registering with the CQC and following CQC regulations might be daunting.
Fortunately, our support team can help you with your CQC registration, as well as help you to comply with CQC requirements the moment you set up your franchise business.
Our leading policies and procedures ensure your business is compliant with CQC regulations, so you can be confident that your business is fully prepared for CQC inspection, and you’re providing clients with the best care possible.
Another challenge you might face when becoming a franchisee in home care is deciding on your territory and its size. Bridgewater Home Care has built territory sizes through years of experience, blending the right mix of opportunity and profitability, whilst avoiding the risk of underresourcing or underserving a territory.
Some home care franchises will have limited territories available, with a number of people bidding to take ownership of them. At Bridgewater Home Care, we are focused on finding the right person to join our brand, rather than having a corporate culture of selling to the highest bidder.
With Bridgewater Home Care, you can create a bespoke territory around your preferences and the community where you live. What’s more, this territory is exclusive to you upon signing the franchise agreement.
A home care franchise is a business opportunity where you can start your own home care business using an established brand and proven system. Here’s how it works:
With proper management, a home care franchise can be a rewarding business that allows you to make a difference in your community whilst following a proven path to financial success.
Becoming a franchisee in the home care industry is one way to make a difference in your community during your day-to-day life, but it also offers the chance to work in a rapidly growing market.
According to the Centre for Ageing Better, the number of people aged 65-79 is predicted to increase by nearly a third (30%) to over 10 million in the next 40 years. And with public care services already in high demand, the need for privately paying, self-funded home care is increasing.
This means that tapping into this sector can be an incredibly lucrative business decision. In fact, franchisees working with Bridgewater Home Care can expect significant year on year growth. Moreover, we expect these new franchise offices to reach a break-even point within their first year of working with us.
No, you do not need a background in care to become a home care franchisee.
At Bridgewater Home Care, we encourage prospective franchisees of all careers and ranges of experience to work with us - so long as you embody our core qualities:
The cost of buying a franchise in home care varies from £30,000 to £150,000.
At Bridgewater Home Care, our initial franchisee fee is £35,000 + VAT, with a total working capital requirement of £100,000-£120,000.
Yes, there are ongoing costs involved with becoming a franchisee with Bridgewater Home Care.
This includes a monthly service fee of 5% + VAT, in addition to a national advertising levy of 1% +VAT.
A territory is a geographical area provided to an individual who purchases a franchise, which gives them exclusive rights to carry out their business in that territory.
It is often based on population numbers, demographics, local authority boundaries, or postcodes.
You must operate a franchise from an office location for CQC regulatory purposes, it cannot be from home.
But it does not have to be a high street location. This is especially helpful in the early stages of the business where cost factors are more pertinent.
It depends on the franchise you become a part of, as different types will suggest different ways for how franchisees are to run their business.
Running a Bridgewater Home Care franchise office is a serious business that requires full attention and time commitment to make it a real success.
Bridgewater Home Care has a team who assists with the buying and selling of franchises called 'resales'.
If a franchisee wishes to sell a franchise or a prospective franchisee wishes to purchase an operating franchise, it can be done with support from the National Office.
We can’t say for certain that your franchise will be successful, but what we can do is provide you with an idea.
Please submit your details below to receive further information about our franchise opportunity and take the first step to becoming a Bridgewater Home Care Franchise Partner.