How to choose a CQC-rated care home: step by step

By CareFinder Team · Published 2026-06-30 · Last reviewed 2026-09-18

Start with a needs assessment so you know what level of care is needed, then shortlist homes that provide it and check each one's latest inspection report, not just the headline rating. Visit more than once, ask detailed questions about staffing, care and fees, and read the contract carefully before agreeing. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, use the local regulator's reports instead of CQC's.

The best way to choose a care home is to start from the person's needs, not the brochure. Get a needs assessment, shortlist homes that provide the right type of care, read each home's latest inspection report in full, then visit more than once and ask detailed questions before signing anything. A good rating is a useful starting point, but it is not the whole story.

This guide uses England's regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own regulators, covered below.

Step 1: What type of care is needed?

Ask the council for a needs assessment. It is free, and it helps show whether a care home is the right option and what kind. There are two main types of care home:

• Residential homes provide accommodation and personal care, such as help with washing, dressing, medicines and going to the toilet.
• **Nursing homes** also have one or more qualified nurses on duty at all times, for people with health needs that require nursing.

Many homes also specialise in dementia care. If the person's needs are likely to increase, a home that offers both residential and nursing care can avoid a later move.

Step 2: How do you shortlist homes?

Think about what matters most day to day:

• Location: close enough for regular visits by family and friends
• Specialist care: dementia, nursing, or specific conditions
• Size and feel: some people prefer a small home, others more facilities
• Availability: whether there is a suitable room now, or a waiting list
• Cost and funding: whether the home accepts the council's rate if the council is paying, or may pay later

Use the CQC's search for care homes to find registered homes by name or postcode.

Step 3: How do you read a CQC rating properly?

CQC gives each home an overall rating: outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate. It also rates five questions it asks at every inspection: is the service safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

Look beyond the headline:

• Date of the last inspection. An old rating may not reflect the home today, especially if the manager or owner has changed.
• The individual ratings. A home rated good overall can still be rated requires improvement for safety.
• The detail. Read what inspectors found about staffing, medicines, infection control and how people are treated.
• Enforcement. Check whether CQC has taken action, such as warning notices or conditions.
• The group. If the home belongs to a larger provider, see how its other homes are rated.

Step 4: What should you look for when you visit?

Visit at least twice, ideally at different times of day, such as a mealtime and an afternoon. Unannounced visits, where the home allows them, can be revealing.

Notice:

• How staff speak to residents: kindly, patiently, by name
• Whether residents look clean, comfortable and engaged
• Whether there are enough staff around, especially in shared areas
• Smells, cleanliness and how well the building is maintained
• Whether residents can personalise their rooms
• Access to outdoor space and activities that suit the person's interests

CQC's description of a good care home is a helpful checklist: there are always enough staff with the right skills, medicines are handled safely, people are protected from abuse and neglect, and staff involve residents and their families.

Step 5: What questions should you ask?

About care and staff

1. How many care staff and nurses are on duty by day and at night?
2. How much do you use agency staff, and how long has the manager been in post?
3. What dementia or other specialist training do staff have?
4. How are care plans written and reviewed, and how are families involved?
5. How do you support people when they first move in?

About daily life

1. What activities are offered, and can residents choose what they do?
2. Can residents choose when to get up, go to bed and eat?
3. What are the visiting arrangements?

About money and the contract

1. What is the weekly fee, and exactly what does it include?
2. How and when are fees reviewed?
3. What happens if savings run out and the council starts paying?
4. What deposit and notice period apply, and what happens to fees after a death?

Step 6: What should you check in the fees and contract?

The CMA's consumer rights guidance for care homes says homes should give key information about fees up front, and warns that some contract terms are likely to be unfair, such as an unlimited right to raise fees or requiring fees to be paid for long periods after a resident dies. Ask for the contract early, read it before moving day, and query anything unclear.

If the council is paying, the NHS guide explains that you can choose a home as long as the council agrees it meets the person's needs and is not more expensive than another suitable home; if it costs more, a family member may be able to pay a top-up. If the NHS is paying through continuing healthcare, there is no right to choose, but the person's wishes should be considered.

How does it work in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

• Scotland: the Care Inspectorate registers and inspects care services and publishes inspection reports for every care service.
• Wales: Care Inspectorate Wales inspects care homes and now publishes ratings that most homes must display.
• Northern Ireland: the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority inspects registered homes and publishes reports.

The same approach applies: read the full, recent report, then visit.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rely on the CQC rating alone?

No. The rating reflects the last inspection, which may be some time ago. Read the full report, check its date, and visit in person to see how the home feels now.

Should I avoid a home rated requires improvement?

Not automatically. Read why. Some homes are rated requires improvement for record-keeping issues while care itself is good; others have serious safety concerns. Ask the manager what has changed since the inspection.

How many homes should we visit?

Visiting two or three suitable homes usually gives enough comparison. Visit your preferred home again before deciding, ideally at a different time of day.

Who do we complain to if things go wrong?

Raise concerns with the home first. If the council or NHS arranged the place, you can also contact them, and the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can look at complaints about adult social care. CQC does not resolve individual complaints but uses feedback to decide when to inspect.

Can a hospital make us choose a home quickly?

Hospitals do plan discharges promptly, and a temporary placement may be offered while you choose. Ask the discharge team what the arrangement is, how long it lasts and who is paying.

Key takeaways

• Start with a needs assessment so you know the right type of care.
• Read the latest inspection report in full, not just the overall rating.
• Visit more than once, at different times, and ask detailed questions.
• Get fees and the contract in writing before moving day.
• Use the Care Inspectorate, CIW or RQIA outside England.