How it works

Four steps, and most families do them in an evening

Wellknown sits between you, your parent and the people who help around their house. We check who they are, protect the front door, and keep you in the loop.

1. Add the home

Tell us whose home it is (a first name is plenty), the town, and a number to put on the fridge card. If you are arranging help for yourself, that works too.

We ask you to confirm your parent knows about this and is happy with it. It's their home and their front door. If they'd rather manage it themselves, they can have their own account.

2. Bring the helper you already trust

Most families already have someone: a gardener, a cleaner, a neighbour's lad who does odd jobs. Invite them by email, or copy a link and text it. They join free in a couple of minutes.

No one yet? Search for checked helpers nearby. We only list helpers who have passed at least an ID check, and we never pad the list. If nobody has joined near you yet, we will say so.

3. They get checked

Each check is a separate badge with a date on it:

• ID checked. A photo of their passport or driving licence matched to a live selfie. We pay for this, not them.
• Criminal record checked. In England and Wales, a Basic DBS certificate. The helper gets it from the government for £20, or you can cover it for them. We look at it, record the result and delete our copy.
• Enhanced check. Only for helpers who do the shopping, because handling someone's errands for them counts as regulated activity. That one includes the adults' barred list.
• Insured. Public liability cover, with the amount and the end date.

Every check is optional. A helper can join without them, but you will see exactly which badges they do and don't have. What helpers can and can't do.

4. Protect the door, then let the house run itself

Set a doorstep password with your parent. On the day of a visit, the booked helper can see it in their account, and only from two hours before. Your parent asks for it at the door. No password, no entry.

Print the fridge card: the faces and first names of everyone who is allowed in, plus your number. With membership, your parent also gets a short text on the morning of each visit saying who is due.

Arrange visits with your helper (they confirm, or suggest a time themselves). Afterwards they can leave a note. The yearly house plan reminds you when the smoke alarms, gutters, radiators and boiler service are due, and lets you offer each job to your helper in one tap.