Care homes · Somerset
Care homes in Ilminster
3 care homes in Ilminster are registered with CQC, holding 127 beds in total. 100% of the 3 rated by CQC are Good or Outstanding, next to 89% across Somerset and 83% across England. Expect to pay in Ilminster about £1,490 a week for residential careestimated. 1 care home has a rating more than four years old and 1 registered with CQC within the past two years. On 12 February 2026, Horton Cross Nursing Home was rated Good, the newest rating here.
Updated 27 October 2026 from the CQC register (Open Government Licence)
Key points
- 2 are registered with CQC to support people with dementia; 1 provide nursing care.
- You can ask Somerset council for a free care needs assessment; savings make no difference.
- Latest CQC rating changes in Somerset, checked daily.
Citation: "Care homes in Ilminster", The Care Panel analysis of CQC register data, Oct 2026.
- 3registered care homes
- 100%Good or Outstanding, among those rated
- 1offers nursing care
- 2inspected or rated in the last 2 years
| Care | Ilminster | South West | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential care, a week | £1,490 | £1,450 | £1,400 |
All care homes in Ilminster, ranked
Order: CQC rating first, then how recent that rating is, then distance. Our ranking method
Vaughan Lee House
What inspectors found: At the last inspection we found 4 breaches of regulation.
Est. £1.3k–£1.59k/wk
Horton Cross Nursing Home
What inspectors found: We visited the home on 7 January and 13 January 2026.
Est. £1.52k–£1.86k/wk
Hazelwell Lodge
Est. £1.37k–£1.68k/wk
Care home fees in Ilminster
| Residential care home | £1,445 a week |
|---|---|
| Nursing home | £1,690 a week |
Council rates in Somerset Council: £26.83 an hour for home care (2025/26 average paid to agencies); £805 a week for residential care (2025/26 average, over-65s); £832 a week for nursing care (2025/26 average, over-65s) (source). A top-up usually covers the gap if your chosen provider costs more.
Self-funders usually pay more than councils do for the same room. Each average covers a broad range, driven by room, care level and nursing. Source: The Care Panel regional fee benchmarks, October 2026 (how we estimate). For a firm figure, request prices from providers here; for a rough one, use our weekly cost calculator.
Your council
Somerset
A care needs assessment from Somerset council is free whatever your savings. With savings below £23,250, the council may help pay.
Asking Somerset for an assessment, and how payment and direct payments work
What the numbers say about Ilminster
CQC registered Hazelwell Lodge in November 2025, the newest on this list. Nursing care is available in 1 of 3 homes (33%); across Somerset the share is 29%. Looking at specialisms, 1 of 3 list mental health conditions. Somerset has 9 Outstanding care homes, none of them in Ilminster. Typical size: 26 beds across Somerset, 42 on average in Ilminster. At 100% Good or Outstanding, Ilminster sits above the Somerset figure of 89% (from 168 care homes). One rating goes back to January 2020: Hazelwell Lodge. Ask what has changed since. No nearby town we list has a higher share of its listed care homes rated Good or Outstanding than Ilminster (100%); Crewkerne follows at 100%. Ratings are more recent than average here: 67% of care homes have one less than two years old, compared with 29% across Somerset.
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Most recent ratings
CQC's most recently published ratings for care homes in Ilminster.
Ilminster and the towns around it
| Town | Miles | Number of care homes | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilminster | – | 3 | 3 |
| Chard | 4.2 mi | 9 | 6 |
| Crewkerne | 6.2 mi | 3 | 3 |
| Martock | 7.1 mi | 3 | 3 |
| Taunton | 10.1 mi | 43 | 38 |
| Axminster | 10.6 mi | 8 | 7 |
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Free care cost report for Ilminster
- 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
Common questions about care homes in Ilminster
How many registered care homes are in Ilminster?
As of Oct 2026, 3 care homes in Ilminster are registered with CQC. Of these, 1 provides nursing care and 2 support people living with dementia. Well-rated choices include Vaughan Lee House, Horton Cross Nursing Home and Hazelwell Lodge.
How are care homes in Ilminster rated by CQC?
CQC has rated 3. Of those, 3 (100%) are Good or Outstanding.
How much should I expect to pay for a care home in Ilminster?
Average 2026 self-funder fees in South West: residential care home £1,445 a week; nursing home £1,690 a week. Self-funders usually pay more than councils do for the same room. Each average covers a broad range, driven by room, care level and nursing. Source: The Care Panel regional fee benchmarks, October 2026 (how we estimate). More in our cost guide.
Can Somerset council help pay for a care home?
It may. Somerset council must offer a free care needs assessment (Care Act 2014). For a care home, the value of the home is usually included in the means test unless a partner or certain relatives still live there, and it is ignored for the first 12 weeks of a permanent stay; the upper limit in England is £23,250. NHS-funded nursing care can help with nursing costs. How to contact Somerset council.
How can I pick between care homes in Ilminster?
Check how recent each CQC report is first: 2 of the 3 on this page were inspected or rated in the past two years; 1 has older reports. Next ask three things: will staff be consistent, what happens about missed care, and what is the full price? Use our checklist.
What about care homes in towns near Ilminster?
Ilminster has 3, with 3 rated Good or Outstanding. Nearby: Chard (4.2 miles): 9, 6 rated Good or Outstanding; Crewkerne (6.2 miles): 3, 3 rated Good or Outstanding; Martock (7.1 miles): 3, 3 rated Good or Outstanding.
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Describe what's needed in one form. We send it to as many as three Ilminster providers who accept enquiries via The Care Panel, and they email you back.
Care homes near Ilminster
- Care homes in Chard 4.2 mi
- Care homes in Crewkerne 6.2 mi
- Care homes in Martock 7.1 mi
- Care homes in Taunton 10.1 mi
- Care homes in Axminster 10.6 mi
- Care homes in Yeovil 11.9 mi
- Care homes in Lyme Regis 13.8 mi
- Care homes in Wellington 14.0 mi
Other help in Ilminster
- Paying for care in Somerset
- Best rated care homes in Somerset
- Nursing homes in Somerset
- Care home costs in England 2026: averages by region and council
- Every Outstanding service in Somerset: 2026 list
- When is it time for a care home?
- Choosing between home care and a care home
- Understanding CQC ratings
- NHS-funded nursing care
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Source for provider details: CQC, Oct 2026 (Open Government Licence v3.0). The Care Panel is a comparison site, not a care company.