Choosing a care home: what to check and questions to ask
Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.
To choose a care home well, get a needs assessment first, read the latest inspection report from the regulator for your nation, visit more than once, and read the contract before you agree to anything. This guide gives you a checklist for each stage.
Before you start looking
Ask the council (or the Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland) for a free care needs assessment. It confirms whether a care home is really needed and what kind. Sometimes more help at home, adaptations or retirement housing with care on site would do instead.
There are two main types of home:
- Residential care homes provide accommodation, meals and personal care such as help with washing and dressing.
- Nursing homes also have registered nurses on duty at all times, for people who need regular nursing care.
Some homes specialise in dementia care. Ask whether the home could still look after the person if their needs increase, so that a second move is less likely.
Check the inspection report
Every care home must be registered with, and inspected by, the regulator for its nation. Reports are free to read online.
| Nation | Regulator | How homes are rated |
|---|---|---|
| England | Care Quality Commission (CQC) | Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement or Inadequate |
| Scotland | Care Inspectorate | Grades from 1 (unsatisfactory) to 6 (excellent) |
| Wales | Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) | Published inspection reports; check the site for how ratings are shown |
| Northern Ireland | Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) | Published inspection reports rather than a single rating |
Look at the date of the report as well as the result. A good rating from several years ago tells you less than a recent one, and a change of manager can change a home quickly. Read the detail on staffing, medicines and how complaints are handled.
What to look for on a visit
Visit your shortlist, ideally twice, with one visit unannounced or at a mealtime. Trust your senses.
- First impressions. Are you welcomed? Does the home smell fresh? Is it warm and well lit?
- Staff. Do they speak to residents by name and with patience? Do they knock before entering rooms? Do they seem rushed?
- Residents. Are people up, dressed and occupied, or sitting in front of a television nobody is watching?
- Rooms. Can residents bring their own furniture and pictures? Is there an en-suite toilet? Is the call bell within reach of the bed and chair?
- Food. Ask to see a week's menu. Is there a choice at each meal, and can residents eat in their room or have a snack at other times?
- Activities. Is there a real programme, including for people who stay in their rooms? Is there a garden residents can actually use?
Questions to ask the manager
- How long has the manager been in post, and how many staff have left in the past year?
- How many care staff are on duty during the day, in the evening and overnight?
- Are visitors welcome at any time? Can family stay for a meal?
- How do residents see a GP, dentist, optician or chiropodist, and is there a charge?
- What happens if my relative's needs increase, or they need nursing care?
- What happens if their money runs out and the council takes over funding? Would they be able to stay in the same room?
Read the contract
A care home place is a consumer contract, and you have rights under consumer law. The guide to consumer rights for care home residents on GOV.UK sets out what homes should and should not do. Before signing, check:
- The weekly fee and exactly what it covers. Hairdressing, chiropody, toiletries, newspapers, outings and escorts to hospital appointments are often extra.
- How and when fees can rise. There should be a clear method and reasonable notice, not an open-ended right to increase them.
- Trial period and notice. How long is the trial, and how much notice must each side give?
- Fees after a death. How long do they continue, and how quickly must the room be cleared?
- Who signs. If a relative signs as a guarantor or agrees a top-up, they become personally liable. See care home fees.
If the council is paying
You still have a say. The council must offer at least one suitable home within the amount it will pay, and you can ask for a different home, including one in another area nearer family, as long as it is suitable, has a place and accepts the council's terms. If your preferred home costs more than the council's rate, a "top-up" may be requested: read care home fees before anyone agrees to one.
Common questions
How do I find care homes near me?
Each regulator's website has a search by postcode, and your council keeps a list of local homes. Advice organisations such as Age UK and Which? publish free checklists you can print and take with you.
What if we are unhappy after moving in?
Raise it with the manager first and put it in writing. Every home must have a complaints procedure. If that fails you can go to the council (if it funds the place), the ombudsman for your nation, and tell the regulator.
Can a care home ask a resident to leave?
Only in line with the contract and with proper notice. The contract should set out the limited reasons, such as the home no longer being able to meet the person's needs. Get advice quickly if this happens.