How to Choose the Right Care Home: A UK Checklist

By sima kornbluth · Published 2025-12-08 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

To choose the right care home, first get a needs assessment so you know whether residential, nursing or dementia care is needed. Then shortlist registered homes nearby, read their latest inspection reports, visit more than once, ask about staffing, activities and fees, and check the contract before signing. Involve your relative in every decision they can take part in.

Choosing a care home is easier if you take it in stages: work out what type of care is needed, shortlist registered homes, check their inspection reports, visit, ask detailed questions and read the contract. This checklist walks through each step.

Most importantly, involve your relative. If they have capacity, the choice is theirs, and even if they do not, their wishes and feelings must be taken into account.

Step 1: What type of care home is needed?

Start with a free needs assessment from the council, even if your relative will pay for themselves. It clarifies what level of care they need.

• **Residential care home**: help with washing, dressing, medicines and daily living.
• **Nursing home**: the NHS explains that one or more qualified nurses are always on duty, for people with complex health needs.
• **Dementia care**: many residential and nursing homes specialise in dementia. Ask how.

If your relative is likely to need nursing in future, a home registered for both residential and nursing care may avoid another move later.

Step 2: How do I draw up a shortlist?

Think about:

• Location: close to family and friends who will visit, or to your relative's own community.
• Registration: the home must be registered for the type of care needed.
• Availability: whether there is a room now or a waiting list.
• Funding: whether the home accepts council-funded residents, and at what rate.

Ask the council, the GP, friends and local carers' groups for recommendations, but always check for yourself.

Step 3: How do I read inspection reports?

Every care home is inspected by the regulator for its nation:

• England: the Care Quality Commission (CQC)
• Scotland: the Care Inspectorate
• Wales: Care Inspectorate Wales
• Northern Ireland: the RQIA

In England, the CQC gives one of four ratings: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate. It looks at five key questions: is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

When reading a report:

1. Check the date of the last inspection; an old rating may not reflect the home today.
2. Read the "safe" and "well-led" sections closely.
3. Look for enforcement action or repeated "requires improvement" ratings.
4. Read what residents and families told the inspectors.

Step 4: What should I look for on a visit?

Visit at least twice, at different times, including once at a mealtime and ideally unannounced.

First impressions

• Is the welcome warm? Does it smell clean and fresh?
• Are residents engaged, or sitting in silence?
• Do staff speak kindly to residents, using their names?

The building

• Are rooms clean, comfortable and personalised?
• Is there a garden residents can use easily?
• Are there quiet spaces as well as a lounge?
• Is the layout easy to find your way around, especially for someone with dementia?

Daily life

• Can residents get up, eat and go to bed when they choose?
• Is the food appetising, with choice and help to eat where needed?
• What activities are there, and are they suited to individual interests?
• Can residents go out, and do visitors come freely?

Step 5: What questions should I ask the manager?

Staff and care

• How many staff are on duty during the day and at night?
• How much agency staff do you use? How long have staff been here?
• How long has the manager been in post?
• How do you get to know a new resident, and who writes the care plan?
• Which GP covers the home, and how are medical needs handled?

Health and changing needs

• Can you meet my relative's needs if they increase, including at the end of life?
• In what circumstances would you ask a resident to leave?

Fees

• What is the weekly fee, and what does it include?
• What costs extra?
• How often do fees rise, and with how much notice?
• What happens if my relative's money runs out?

Step 6: What should I check in the contract?

The Competition and Markets Authority's consumer law advice for care homes says homes should give an indication of their weekly self-funder fees upfront, highlight any especially important or surprising terms, treat residents fairly and have an easy-to-use complaints procedure.

Check:

• the fee, what is included and how increases are decided
• deposits and any upfront fees
• notice periods, including how fees are charged after a resident dies
• any requirement to show your relative can pay privately for a minimum period
• the complaints procedure

If a term seems unfair, ask for it to be explained or changed. Citizens Advice can help with consumer contract questions. This is general information; for money or legal decisions, take personal advice.

Step 7: How do we make the final decision?

• Compare your notes against what matters most to your relative.
• If possible, arrange a trial stay or respite visit first.
• Trust your instincts: how did the home feel?
• Plan the move with the home, including bringing familiar belongings.

Frequently asked questions

How many care homes should I visit?

Visiting two or three is a sensible minimum, so you can compare. Visit your preferred home more than once, at different times of day.

Is a "Good" CQC rating enough?

It is a good sign, but check the inspection date and read the report, especially the "safe" section. A home's quality can change, particularly after a change of manager.

Can my relative choose a home if the council is paying?

Yes, within limits. In England, the council must offer at least one suitable option at its usual rate. If your relative prefers a more expensive home, a top-up may be needed, agreed in writing.

What if my relative has dementia and cannot choose?

Decisions must be made in their best interests, taking account of their past and present wishes, feelings and values. If you have a lasting power of attorney for health and welfare, you may be able to decide on their behalf.

Should I choose a home that offers both residential and nursing care?

It can avoid another move if your relative's needs increase. Ask how the home manages the change and whether fees would rise.

Key takeaways

• Start with a needs assessment to know which type of home is needed.
• Check the regulator's report and the date of the last inspection.
• Visit more than once, including at a mealtime.
• Ask about staffing, activities, changing needs and fees.
• Read the contract carefully, especially fee rises and notice periods.
• Involve your relative in every decision they can take part in.