How to Choose the Best Care Home: A Step-by-Step Guide for UK Families
Published 4th of September 2012·Updated 27 April 2026
Reviewed by: Reviewed for accuracy April 2026
Choosing a care home is one of the most significant decisions a family can make. The right home provides safe, professional care in a warm environment; the wrong one can cause distress for the resident and guilt for the family. Start by checking inspection reports, understanding how care is funded and visiting shortlisted homes before making any commitment.
Short Summary
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects and rates care homes in England. Ratings of "Good" or "Outstanding" are a baseline requirement; anything rated "Requires Improvement" or "Inadequate" should be avoided unless the home has a documented and verified improvement plan.
Care funding rules in England are means-tested. If the resident's assets (including property in most cases) exceed £23,250, they will be expected to fund their own care. Below that threshold, the local authority contributes. These rules are complex and Age UK provides free guidance.
Visit any home you are considering in person, more than once if possible. Speak with residents and, separately, with care staff. Notice whether residents appear comfortable and engaged, and whether staff interact with warmth rather than efficiency alone.
A trial period allows the resident to experience the home before committing long-term. Many homes require a trial as standard. Use this period to assess whether the reality matches what was promised.
How do I check a care home's inspection record?
In England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects all registered care homes and publishes detailed reports at cqc.org.uk. Each home is rated on five criteria: safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. You can search by postcode and filter by rating.
In Wales, the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) publishes inspection reports at careinspectorate.wales. In Scotland, the Care Inspectorate publishes reports at careinspectorate.com. In Northern Ireland, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) covers registration and inspection at rqia.org.uk.
Reading the most recent report in full is more informative than the headline rating. Pay particular attention to findings about staffing levels, medication management and the responsiveness of management to concerns raised in previous inspections.
How is care home funding calculated in England?
Care funding in England is means-tested and administered by local authorities. The current capital threshold is £23,250: if the resident's total assets (savings, investments and usually the value of their home) exceed this amount, they fund their own care. Below £23,250, the local authority contributes; below £14,250, the local authority covers the full assessed cost.
The NHS may fund care entirely through Continuing Healthcare (CHC) if the person's needs are primarily health-related rather than social care. This assessment is carried out by an NHS clinical commissioning group and is separate from local authority means-testing.
Age UK (ageuk.org.uk) provides free, detailed guidance on care funding and can help families understand what their local authority will and will not cover. The MoneyHelper service at moneyhelper.org.uk also offers impartial information.
| Asset level | Who pays |
|---|---|
| Above £23,250 | Resident self-funds entirely |
| £14,250 to £23,250 | Local authority and resident share costs |
| Below £14,250 | Local authority pays the full assessed cost |
| Primarily health needs | NHS Continuing Healthcare may cover all costs |
What questions should I ask when visiting a care home?
Visiting in person is essential and a single visit during the day on a weekday is not enough. Ask to visit at different times, including an evening or weekend, when staffing levels and the atmosphere may differ.
Key questions to ask the manager: What is the staff-to-resident ratio during the day and overnight? What is the staff turnover rate? How are residents' individual preferences and routines accommodated? What happens if a resident's needs increase significantly?
Key things to observe: Are residents dressed and groomed appropriately? Is the home clean but not overly clinical? Do staff appear to know residents by name? Are residents interacting with each other or sitting in isolation?
What activities and social life should a good care home offer?
A good care home provides structured activities tailored to residents' abilities and interests, not generic group sessions that appeal to no one in particular. Ask for a copy of the activities programme for the previous month and look for variety: gentle exercise, arts and crafts, outings, music and one-to-one sessions for residents with higher dependency needs.
Social interaction is directly linked to wellbeing in older people, according to research published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Homes that employ a dedicated activities coordinator tend to offer more consistent programming than those where care staff cover activities alongside their other duties.
How do I manage the transition to a care home?
Moving into a care home is a significant life change and residents frequently take several weeks to adjust. Bringing familiar items such as photographs, a favourite chair or personal bedding can help make the room feel less unfamiliar.
Agree with the home in advance how they will communicate with the family: how often, by what method and who the key contact will be. A care plan should be prepared and shared with the family within the first two to four weeks, setting out the resident's assessed needs and how the home intends to meet them.
If concerns arise after the move, raise them with the home's manager in writing. If concerns are not addressed, you can contact the CQC (in England), the local authority's adult social care team or the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a care home force a resident to leave if their money runs out?
A care home cannot simply evict a resident when their savings fall below the funding threshold. At that point, the resident's local authority takes over funding responsibility, though the authority may only fund a basic care package. If the authority's rate is lower than the home's full fee, a third party (often a family member) may need to make a top-up payment to keep the resident in their chosen home. Age UK can advise on this.
What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?
A care home provides personal care (help with washing, dressing and daily living) but does not have nurses on-site. A nursing home provides the same personal care but also has registered nurses on duty at all times to manage complex medical needs, wound care and medication. Some homes are registered for both. The CQC inspection reports specify which type of registration a home holds.
How long does it typically take to arrange a care home place?
In non-urgent situations, three to six weeks is a reasonable timeframe to research, visit and arrange a placement. In a crisis situation following a hospital discharge, the NHS and local authority have a duty to arrange a safe discharge promptly, which sometimes means a short-term placement in a residential facility while a longer-term plan is developed.
Does a care home have to accept my choice of home?
If the local authority is funding care, the resident has the right to choose any care home that meets their assessed needs, is willing to accept them on the authority's standard terms and has a vacancy, as long as the cost is not higher than the authority's usual rate (or a third-party top-up is arranged). Self-funders can choose any home that has a vacancy and meets their needs.
What if I am unhappy with the care being provided?
Raise concerns with the home's registered manager in the first instance, ideally in writing to create a record. If the response is unsatisfactory, contact the CQC (in England) at cqc.org.uk to log a concern. You can also contact your local authority's adult safeguarding team if you believe a resident is at risk of harm.