Choosing a residential care home

It is important before looking for a residential care home you consider other solutions. However, there may come a time where you can no longer manage at home with help and residential care is the right solution. Opting for residential care is a big decision so you need to make sure that you have as much information as possible to make an informed decision.

It is important to understand what kind of care you need (for example old age, physical disability, dementia and learning disability) so that you can focus on homes that are registered for these categories. Some residential care homes offer nursing care and some don't. 

You can talk to your doctor or hospital consultant for advice if you think you need nursing care, or if you feel you meet our eligibility criteria you can ask us for an assessment to see if you can get our support.

If you pay the full costs of your care you need to know how much it's going to cost and options for paying.

We can sometimes help pay for the cost of care in a residential home, although, if you do go into residential care you may have to pay towards the cost. The amount you have to pay will be calculated as part of a financial assessment.

If your needs are primarily health related the NHS is responsible for supporting you. For more information see 'NHS Choices What is NHS continuing healthcare' (External link).

More information to help you find the right residential care home.