A residential care home costs a self-funder about £1,185 to £1,615 a week in England in 2026, depending on the region, and a nursing home about £1,305 to £1,850 a week. Fees are highest in London and the South East and lowest in the North East. Councils pay much less for the same places: about £956 a week on average for a care home without nursing. This page shows typical fees for every region, then the number of care homes, CQC ratings and council rates for all 120 county and council areas we cover.
At a glance
- Most expensive regions for residential care: London (£1,615 a week) and the South East (£1,555).
- Least expensive: the North East (£1,185), the North West (£1,205) and Yorkshire and the Humber (£1,230).
- Nursing homes typically cost £120 to £310 a week more than residential homes in the same region.
- 13,342 care homes are listed across 120 areas. About 83% of rated homes in England are Good or Outstanding.
- Highest share rated Good or Outstanding (areas with 20 or more homes): South Gloucestershire (99%), Bristol, City of (97%), Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (96%).
Care home fees by region (2026)
| Region | Residential care home a week | Nursing home a week | Median council rate, no nursing | Care homes listed | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | £1,250 | £1,480 | £910 | 1,279 | 80% |
| East of England | £1,455 | £1,685 | £918 | 1,444 | 79% |
| London | £1,615 | £1,850 | £1,157 | 1,281 | 90% |
| North East | £1,185 | £1,305 | £885 | 688 | 92% |
| North West | £1,205 | £1,515 | £804 | 1,727 | 80% |
| South East | £1,555 | £1,830 | £1,124 | 2,551 | 82% |
| South West | £1,445 | £1,690 | £1,114 | 1,612 | 89% |
| West Midlands | £1,295 | £1,520 | £902 | 1,455 | 78% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £1,230 | £1,515 | £853 | 1,305 | 81% |
Self-funder fees are our regional benchmarks, the same figures used across the site. Council rates are the median of what councils in the region reported paying in 2025/26 for people aged 65 and over (see what every council pays). Nursing home fees usually include the NHS-funded nursing care payment of £267.68 a week, which the NHS pays to the home (see FNC rates).
Comparing care homes? Every home is listed with its latest CQC rating and inspection date. Search by postcode →
Care homes by county
For each area: how many care homes are on the CQC register, the share rated Good or Outstanding, how many provide nursing care or support people living with dementia, and what the council paid in 2025/26. For London, the council figures are the median across the 33 boroughs. Select an area to compare homes town by town.
East Midlands
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derby | 63 | 73% | 23 | 34 | £809 / £780 |
| Derbyshire | 238 | 81% | 86 | 141 | £974 / £1,118 |
| Leicester | 61 | 87% | 9 | 33 | £1,044 / £1,195 |
| Leicestershire | 186 | 80% | 33 | 115 | £986 / £1,084 |
| Lincolnshire | 210 | 75% | 53 | 129 | £783 / £824 |
| North Northamptonshire | 97 | 84% | 22 | 52 | £915 / £978 |
| Nottingham | 75 | 81% | 28 | 39 | £713 / £713 |
| Nottinghamshire | 261 | 83% | 84 | 136 | £906 / £1,138 |
| Rutland | 6 | 100% | 2 | 4 | £860 / £1,000 |
| West Northamptonshire | 82 | 68% | 30 | 39 | £965 / £1,060 |
East of England
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bedford | 64 | 79% | 13 | 30 | £1,077 / £1,161 |
| Cambridgeshire | 113 | 92% | 41 | 71 | £918 / £1,131 |
| Central Bedfordshire | 47 | 73% | 13 | 29 | £1,008 / £1,061 |
| Essex | 370 | 83% | 83 | 196 | £849 / £1,103 |
| Hertfordshire | 272 | 77% | 88 | 159 | £906 / £1,036 |
| Luton | 37 | 74% | 7 | 19 | £865 / £972 |
| Norfolk | 244 | 66% | 49 | 142 | £1,015 / £1,146 |
| Peterborough | 29 | 88% | 11 | 19 | £888 / £1,040 |
| Southend-on-Sea | 86 | 92% | 13 | 53 | £958 / £1,003 |
| Suffolk | 151 | 79% | 48 | 102 | £1,064 / £1,051 |
| Thurrock | 31 | 90% | 5 | 14 | £844 / £977 |
London
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1281 | 90% | 383 | 596 | £1,157 / £1,190 |
North East
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Durham | 122 | 91% | 48 | 76 | £857 / £890 |
| Darlington | 32 | 86% | 10 | 18 | £843 / £953 |
| Gateshead | 53 | 96% | 25 | 34 | £888 / £950 |
| Hartlepool | 25 | 92% | 9 | 14 | £917 / £900 |
| Middlesbrough | 42 | 95% | 13 | 26 | £857 / £857 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 53 | 93% | 30 | 26 | £983 / £983 |
| North Tyneside | 48 | 91% | 19 | 35 | £944 / £949 |
| Northumberland | 84 | 89% | 37 | 64 | £882 / £883 |
| Redcar and Cleveland | 42 | 85% | 13 | 28 | £848 / £848 |
| South Tyneside | 41 | 92% | 14 | 31 | £915 / £1,064 |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 59 | 92% | 15 | 33 | £866 / £915 |
| Sunderland | 87 | 94% | 27 | 51 | £919 / £929 |
North West
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackburn with Darwen | 34 | 81% | 10 | 19 | £800 / £954 |
| Blackpool | 47 | 76% | 12 | 32 | £735 / £828 |
| Bolton | 51 | 84% | 16 | 25 | £827 / £872 |
| Bury | 60 | 84% | 20 | 30 | £773 / £916 |
| Cheshire East | 97 | 76% | 53 | 71 | £921 / £1,108 |
| Cheshire West and Chester | 71 | 69% | 40 | 43 | £887 / £987 |
| Cumberland | 62 | 77% | 14 | 37 | £990 / £1,066 |
| Halton | 25 | 76% | 7 | 15 | £791 / £904 |
| Knowsley | 47 | 81% | 18 | 35 | £728 / £773 |
| Lancashire | 402 | 83% | 94 | 239 | £790 / £887 |
| Liverpool | 50 | 70% | 22 | 24 | £832 / £864 |
| Manchester | 26 | 77% | 15 | 9 | £866 / £959 |
| Oldham | 59 | 87% | 19 | 49 | £902 / £1,201 |
| Rochdale | 66 | 67% | 14 | 37 | £763 / £1,107 |
| Salford | 32 | 79% | 8 | 18 | £688 / £900 |
| Sefton | 130 | 79% | 42 | 67 | £799 / £868 |
| St. Helens | 36 | 82% | 16 | 19 | £800 / £883 |
| Stockport | 76 | 75% | 23 | 46 | £1,113 / £1,166 |
| Tameside | 36 | 75% | 9 | 31 | £809 / £1,058 |
| Trafford | 72 | 83% | 24 | 34 | £955 / £1,141 |
| Warrington | 43 | 85% | 16 | 19 | £875 / £1,028 |
| Westmorland and Furness | 38 | 94% | 12 | 24 | £1,039 / £1,087 |
| Wigan | 57 | 92% | 25 | 42 | £779 / £852 |
| Wirral | 110 | 72% | 41 | 55 | £793 / £855 |
South East
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bracknell Forest | 32 | 89% | 8 | 17 | £1,235 / £1,271 |
| Brighton and Hove | 61 | 90% | 20 | 20 | £1,124 / £1,266 |
| Buckinghamshire | 109 | 74% | 40 | 71 | £1,188 / £1,209 |
| East Sussex | 261 | 85% | 67 | 115 | £929 / £994 |
| Hampshire | 447 | 85% | 139 | 244 | £1,245 / £1,365 |
| Isle of Wight | 57 | 75% | 11 | 41 | £967 / £1,110 |
| Kent | 422 | 77% | 117 | 206 | £1,187 / £1,378 |
| Medway | 67 | 71% | 16 | 32 | £875 / £1,126 |
| Milton Keynes | 49 | 82% | 16 | 27 | £936 / £1,031 |
| Oxfordshire | 108 | 88% | 65 | 91 | £1,184 / £1,231 |
| Portsmouth | 25 | 76% | 7 | 15 | £1,145 / £1,254 |
| Reading | 31 | 74% | 7 | 14 | £993 / £1,068 |
| Slough | 23 | 58% | 9 | 12 | £1,238 / £1,283 |
| Southampton | 50 | 85% | 14 | 28 | £1,014 / £1,193 |
| Surrey | 388 | 84% | 155 | 234 | £952 / £988 |
| West Berkshire | 27 | 88% | 11 | 13 | £1,238 / £1,147 |
| West Sussex | 332 | 84% | 113 | 168 | £1,033 / £1,125 |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | 29 | 77% | 13 | 15 | £1,184 / £1,359 |
| Wokingham | 33 | 90% | 12 | 19 | £1,034 / £1,141 |
South West
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath and North East Somerset | 57 | 85% | 22 | 32 | £1,118 / £1,083 |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 133 | 96% | 34 | 71 | £1,220 / £1,293 |
| Bristol, City of | 71 | 97% | 24 | 31 | £1,120 / £1,106 |
| Cornwall | 155 | 81% | 38 | 79 | £1,123 / £1,231 |
| Devon | 257 | 91% | 51 | 140 | £1,110 / £1,363 |
| Dorset | 94 | 94% | 26 | 67 | £1,156 / £1,183 |
| Gloucestershire | 160 | 86% | 54 | 81 | £923 / £874 |
| North Somerset | 87 | 96% | 32 | 49 | £748 / £888 |
| Plymouth | 87 | 79% | 21 | 46 | £979 / £1,052 |
| Somerset | 168 | 89% | 49 | 87 | £805 / £832 |
| South Gloucestershire | 88 | 99% | 33 | 43 | £1,326 / £1,329 |
| Swindon | 46 | 89% | 13 | 24 | £832 / £847 |
| Torbay | 74 | 80% | 14 | 45 | £1,163 / £1,243 |
| Wiltshire | 135 | 89% | 35 | 69 | £1,051 / £1,030 |
West Midlands
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 120 | 79% | 33 | 52 | £874 / £889 |
| Coventry | 57 | 70% | 12 | 30 | £868 / £990 |
| Dudley | 95 | 73% | 19 | 60 | £725 / £984 |
| Herefordshire, County of | 61 | 83% | 23 | 33 | £1,123 / £1,287 |
| Sandwell | 143 | 72% | 39 | 55 | £892 / £968 |
| Shropshire | 69 | 75% | 26 | 44 | £928 / £1,166 |
| Solihull | 56 | 78% | 16 | 31 | £1,012 / £1,037 |
| Staffordshire | 257 | 77% | 80 | 154 | £941 / £1,143 |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 42 | 90% | 6 | 20 | £712 / £1,005 |
| Telford and Wrekin | 33 | 76% | 11 | 18 | £999 / £1,211 |
| Walsall | 85 | 73% | 23 | 43 | £790 / £1,073 |
| Warwickshire | 178 | 82% | 47 | 105 | £916 / £1,030 |
| Wolverhampton | 68 | 66% | 21 | 43 | £710 / £942 |
| Worcestershire | 191 | 88% | 65 | 124 | £911 / £1,088 |
Yorkshire and the Humber
| County or area | Care homes | Good or Outstanding | With nursing | For dementia | Council pays a week (no nursing / nursing) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnsley | 69 | 81% | 11 | 40 | £955 / £955 |
| Bradford | 99 | 78% | 33 | 66 | £789 / £852 |
| Calderdale | 42 | 77% | 12 | 21 | £971 / £1,458 |
| Doncaster | 78 | 81% | 17 | 43 | £853 / £973 |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 136 | 77% | 16 | 102 | £931 / £1,093 |
| Kingston upon Hull, City of | 59 | 75% | 8 | 33 | £841 / £1,049 |
| Kirklees | 122 | 79% | 33 | 55 | £878 / £1,280 |
| Leeds | 145 | 78% | 50 | 97 | £804 / £997 |
| North East Lincolnshire | 54 | 87% | 13 | 37 | £750 / £716 |
| North Lincolnshire | 46 | 86% | 8 | 30 | £736 / £831 |
| North Yorkshire | 154 | 85% | 46 | 93 | £1,086 / £1,358 |
| Rotherham | 70 | 88% | 22 | 38 | £753 / £905 |
| Sheffield | 97 | 86% | 37 | 55 | £800 / £987 |
| Wakefield | 95 | 75% | 18 | 59 | £853 / £853 |
| York | 39 | 88% | 12 | 23 | £1,080 / £1,237 |
Why fees vary
- Nursing: homes with registered nurses on site cost more. If you need nursing care, the NHS pays £267.68 a week towards it.
- Dementia: specialist dementia care usually costs £35 to £80 a week more. See dementia care costs by region.
- Self-funder or council-funded: people paying for themselves are usually charged more than the council rate for the same room.
- Room and location: en-suite rooms, newer buildings and homes in expensive areas cost more.
Help with the cost
- What your council pays for care
- Attendance Allowance rates 2026/27 (you keep it if you pay for the care home yourself)
- NHS-funded nursing care vs NHS Continuing Healthcare
Sources
- The Care Panel regional fee benchmarks (October 2026), built from published regional self-funder fees
- DHSC: Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund, care provider fees 2025 to 2026
- CQC register of care homes and ratings, via The Care Panel directory, October 2026
Free · by email
Free care cost report for your area
- Typical local prices for care homes and nursing homes
- What the council and the NHS may pay, with the 2026/27 savings limits
- The best-rated services near you, from the CQC register
Find care homes near you
- Care homes in Bournemouth 62
- Care homes in Brighton 61
- Care homes in Southend-on-Sea 58
- Care homes in Eastbourne 54
- Care homes in Bromley 50
- Care homes in Newcastle upon Tyne 47
- Care homes in Enfield 82
- Care homes in Worthing 67
All care homes in England by town → · Search by postcode
Highly rated care homes in England
- Avondale House Outstanding · Westgate On Sea
- Brook House Care Home Outstanding · Lutterworth
- Charterhouse Care Home Outstanding · Bristol
- Coldwells House Outstanding · Hereford
Rated by CQC in the last three years. Nobody pays to appear here.
Care homes by county
- Bolton
- Oldham
- Wigan
- Milton Keynes
- Wokingham
- Somerset
- Shropshire
- Bradford
- Rotherham
- Nottingham
- Norfolk
- Middlesbrough
Paying for care by council
- Paying for care in Rotherham
- Paying for care in Luton
- Paying for care in Haringey
- Paying for care in Westminster
- Paying for care in Cumberland
- Paying for care in Brighton and Hove
- Paying for care in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
- Paying for care in Solihull
Related guides
Free download
Visiting care homes? Take this 40-point checklist
Forty questions on staffing, daily life, rooms, fees and the contract, laid out so you can compare three homes.
Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 26 October 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.