There are 2 main types of care homes: residential and nursing.
- residential homes are for people who can no longer cope at home. This could include providing meals and personal care
- nursing homes are for people who need nursing care on a regular or daily basis. They have registered nurses on the premises
Some care homes provide care both with and without nursing. These are known as 'dual-registered' homes. The advantage of these homes is that if your needs change you can get the right level of care without having to move.
Many residential and nursing homes can offer placements on a short-term, long-term or permanent basis.
Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates all care homes. They inspect homes to see if they meet the essential standards of quality and safety. You can find their reports on their website.
The costs of residential homes vary. This often depends on the type of facilities provided and the amount and type of care you need. Most people will need to contribute towards residential care. You can find out more at Paying for residential services.
There are 2 types of NHS nursing care with different eligibility:
- NHS continuing healthcare - this is for people who have a primary health need
- NHS-funded nursing care (FNC) - is for people who need registered nursing care and social care needs. The NHS contributions to the cost of your nursing care
To find out more see Paying for health related care.
If you own your home, you can find out how this may affect how much you might have to pay at What happens to my home.
We do not run any residential or nursing care homes.
NHS - Care Homes is a national website with information and helpful hints on:
- choosing a care home
- types of care homes
- trial periods in care homes
You can also search for care home at:
If you, or a loved one, needs looking after 24 hours a day for your personal care or medical needs you, or they may be considering moving to a residential or nursing care home.
We've created some tips to help you prepare, know what to look for and what questions to ask. Being clear on expectations and understanding choices available to you will help you make the best decision for your long-term care and support or those of a loved one.
Make sure you're getting the care you actually need
- speak to our Adult Social Care Information and Advice Service about your care choices. You might find out about options you hadn't considered to help you stay at home such as live-in care. This is a free and confidential service available to all residents
- ensure the provider carries out an assessment of your needs and discusses this with you or your family to make sure you need the level of care provided in a care home
- if you chose to fund a place for yourself in a care home but you don't have residential or nursing care needs, we will not continue to fund the same care if your money runs out
Shop around for the right care home
- what accommodation can residents expect in the home? Are rooms en-suite, single, shared, furnished or unfurnished, contain a television, telephone and internet connections? Do the rooms vary in size and price?
- what facilities and services (including activities and entertainment) are available to residents in the home?
- have a look at useful resources and guides produced by organisations like Age UK and Independent Age on how to choose a care home for example Age UK have a list of resources on their Choosing the Right Care Home for you page
Make sure you're clear on the quality and type of care provided
- ask for the home's latest overall inspection rating from the Care Quality Commission and a copy of their most recent performance assessment inspection report
- ask about the specific care needs your home is registered or able to cater for (for example nursing, residential, dementia, end of life, rehabilitation)
- is it a home that you could stay in for life? Make sure you ask what would happen if you developed nursing needs or were diagnosed with a long-term condition like dementia
- if you are looking at care home for a relative and would like to continue to care for them in some capacity, discuss how the care home can support this
Ask about any potential or hidden costs
- make sure you ask for an accurate and up-to-date indication of the total weekly fee rates charged, inclusive of all applicable taxes (for example, the standard gross weekly fee). Are there any extra costs that you hadn't planned for? Is a deposit required and how will the deposit be refunded when the resident leaves?
- ask for an explanation of how a self-funded resident's fees may change after they have moved into the care home. Is there an annual uplift to care fees? How is this calculated?
- if the home says it accepts local authority-funded residents and other state-funded residents (for example NHS-funded residents), will the home accept the council's usual fee rate or would a third-party top-up be required to cover their care costs?
Be clear about what happens if your money runs out
- always seek independent financial advice before moving into a care home. The Society of Later Life Advisors can help with independent advice. All care homes should require prospective self-funding residents to certify that they can pay their fees for a minimum period or agree to a financial assessment as a condition of moving in. Surrey Council County does not act as a guarantor and will not pay for any care home debts
- are you sure your money will stretch far enough in this care home? If you become eligible for Adult Social Care funding during the minimum period, will the care home accept Surrey Council County's usual rates for the cost of your care?
- it may be possible for a third-party to top up the local authority's usual fee rate. However, do consider what will happen if the person paying the top-up can no longer afford to do so? Will the care home accept Surrey Council County's usual fee rates?
- if the local authority fee rate is not sufficient or a top-up payment cannot be arranged through the local authority, the care home could ask you to move to a less expensive room or give notice
- If you have a nursing care need, ask the care home provider to clarify the relationship between the indicative fees quoted and the NHS Funded Nursing Care (FNC) contribution that you may be eligible for. FNC pays for the nursing care part of nursing home fees. If you are no longer eligible for FNC, we cannot make up this cost
Moving a residential or nursing care home requires a continuation of your care arrangements. This may involve us and another local authority working with you whist you move, to ensure that your care and support (and any carer's support) are in place before, during and after your move, to provide you with an undisrupted care service and a smooth transition from one residential or nursing home to another.
If your capital exceeds £23,250 or you have sufficient income to meet the full cost of your care, you are considered a 'self-funder'. This means you must meet the full cost of services and we or another local authority will not make any financial contribution towards the costs of your care.
If you move into a residential or nursing care home permanently with savings below the threshold of £23,250 your home will not be included if, for example, your partner still lives there or, in certain circumstances, a relative.
If your capital is under £23,250 you might get some help from your local borough or district local council, but you may still need to contribute towards the fees.
See the following websites for further advice: Changing care homes: What to do and Moving to an out of area care home
