Care home guides
Choosing care for a parent is stressful, and most families are doing it for the first time. These guides explain the practical side in plain English: what care costs, who pays, how CQC ratings work, and how to choose well.
How to choose a care home: a practical checklist
A practical checklist for choosing a care home in the UK. What to check before visiting, what to ask on the day, red flags, and how to compare your options.
Read the guide →How much does a care home cost in the UK?
Typical UK care home fees in 2025/26, why costs vary so much by region and care type, what your money covers, and the fee questions to ask before you sign.
Read the guide →Who pays for care? The means test explained
How the care means test works in England for 2025/26: capital thresholds, how the family home is treated, deferred payments, top-ups and benefits that help.
Read the guide →CQC ratings explained: what Good and Outstanding actually mean
What CQC care home ratings really mean, from Outstanding to Inadequate. The five key questions, how to read a report, and why the inspection date matters.
Read the guide →Nursing home or residential care home: which does your parent need?
The difference between nursing and residential care homes, who each one suits, how the needs assessment decides, and what the choice means for weekly fees.
Read the guide →Choosing a care home for someone with dementia
How to choose a care home for a parent with dementia. What good dementia care looks like, the design and staffing to check, and how to support the move.
Read the guide →NHS Continuing Healthcare: who qualifies and how to apply
NHS Continuing Healthcare pays full care home fees and is not means tested. Who qualifies, how the checklist and assessment work, and how to appeal a refusal.
Read the guide →NHS-funded nursing care explained
NHS-funded nursing care pays £254.06 a week (England, 2025/26) towards nursing home fees. Who gets it, how it is paid, and how it affects what your parent pays.
Read the guide →How to get a care needs assessment
A free care needs assessment from the council is the first step to arranging care for a parent. How to request one, what happens on the day and what comes next.
Read the guide →Moving into a care home: checklist and first weeks
A calm, practical checklist for moving a parent into a care home. What to bring, the paperwork, the first day, trial periods, settling in and staying involved.
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