Choosing a care home or home care
In short
- Ask your council for a free care assessment first.
- Look up the official inspection report.
- Visit, ask questions and trust your feelings.
- Check who pays before you sign.
Step 1: Get a free care assessment
Your council can check what help you need. This is called a care needs assessment. It is free. You can ask for one even if you will pay for your own care. It helps you know what kind of care is right. See GOV.UK: get a needs assessment or use our find your council tool.
Step 2: Know the kinds of care
- Home care: a carer comes to your home. They can help with washing, dressing, meals or medicine. See NHS: homecare.
- Care home: you live there. Staff help with daily care.
- Care home with nursing: like a care home, but a nurse is there all day and night. This is for people with health needs. See NHS: care homes.
Step 3: Read the official rating
Every care home and home care agency must be checked by a regulator. The regulator visits and writes a report. Read the whole report, not just the score.
- England (CQC): Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate. "Inadequate" means there are serious problems. CQC: our ratings.
- Wales (CIW): Excellent, Good, Requires improvement or Requires significant improvement. There is a rating for each area, such as well-being and care and support. Ratings started in 2025. CIW: ratings.
- Scotland (Care Inspectorate): grades from 1 (Unsatisfactory) to 6 (Excellent) for each key question. Care Inspectorate: find a report.
- Northern Ireland (RQIA): there are no ratings. Read the inspection reports to see what was found. RQIA: inspection reports.
Look at the date too. An old rating may not show how things are now.
Step 4: Visit and ask
Try to visit more than once, at different times. Take someone with you if you can. Here is a checklist.
Questions for a care home
- Can I see the room? Can I bring my own things?
- How many staff are on in the day and at night?
- Do the same staff look after people, or does it change a lot?
- Is there a nurse? (If you need nursing care.)
- How do you help with medicine?
- What activities are there? Can I go out?
- When can family and friends visit?
- What food is there? Can you meet my diet?
- Can you meet my needs if they get worse? For example, dementia care.
- What does it cost? What is not included? How often does the price go up?
- What is the notice period? What is in the contract?
- How do I make a complaint?
Things to look for on a visit
- Do people living there look clean, comfortable and happy?
- Are staff kind and patient? Do they knock before going in rooms?
- Is it clean? Does it smell fresh?
- Is it easy to get around, with a wheelchair or walking aid?
- Is there a garden or outside space?
Questions for home care
- Will I get the same carers most of the time?
- How long will each visit be? What if a carer is late?
- Are carers trained in my needs, such as dementia or hoists?
- Who do I call at night or at weekends?
- What does it cost per hour? Are there extra charges?
- How do I change or stop the care?
Age UK has more tips: Age UK: choosing a care home and Age UK: homecare.
Step 5: Who pays?
This depends on your needs and your money.
- The council does a financial assessment. It looks at your income and savings. In England, if your savings and capital are over £23,250, you usually pay the full cost. Between £14,250 and £23,250 you pay part. Under £14,250, your savings are not counted, but you may still pay from your income. If you get care at home, your home does not count. If you move into a care home, your home may still not count if a partner, or a relative aged 60 or over or disabled, still lives there. (Upper limit: reg. 12, lower limit: reg. 25, home: Schedule 2, Care and Support (Charging and Assessment of Resources) Regulations 2014) See NHS: when the council might pay.
- Your home may count, but not always. For example, it does not count if your partner still lives there.
- If you have big health needs, the NHS may pay for all your care. This is called NHS continuing healthcare. See NHS: continuing healthcare.
- If you pay yourself, see NHS: paying for your own care.
- Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules and limits. Ask your council or Health and Social Care Trust.
You may also be able to get benefits such as Attendance Allowance. Try our self-check.
If something goes wrong
Talk to the manager first. Then use the complaints process. If you are worried someone is at risk, tell the council's adult social care team or the regulator. If someone is in danger now, call 999.
Information only. This page explains official guidance in plain English. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules can change. For advice about your own case, contact Citizens Advice or another free adviser.
Where this applies: England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different rules.
Written by Social Care Made Easy. Last checked: 25 October 2026.