Adult social care
Adult social care in County Durham
Durham County Council is the place to start. Any adult who seems to need help may be assessed, free, regardless of savings. Phone 03000 267 979.
Last reviewed: 15 October 2026.
1. Get assessed
Which daily tasks are hard, and do they meet the national threshold? That is the question the assessment answers. It is free, a statutory right, and carries no obligation to take council services.
Start a request with Durham County Council; alternatively, 03000 267 979.
Social Care Direct is the first point of contact and also takes non-urgent enquiries through an online form.
2. What you pay towards care
Next, finances, if needs qualify. Staying at home? Then the value of the person's home is not counted. Moving into residential care? Property normally counts unless a partner, or a relative who qualifies, is still living in it, from week 13 of a permanent stay. Capital over £23,250 means the person usually pays the full cost, under £14,250 capital is disregarded, and in between tariff income is used.
Estimate care costs in County Durham
Use local prices to estimate the person's share and the council's. Figures start at regional typical rates and can be changed to match any quote.
| Type of care | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Visiting care | around £32–£34 an hour |
| Live-in care | around £1,540–£1,610 a week |
| Residential care home | £1,095 a week |
| Nursing home | £1,160 a week |
Typical 2026 prices across England · Average 2026 self-funder fees in North East · Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026 · Which?, self-funder fees (Lottie data, January 2026).
Based on the 2026/27 charging rules for England: upper capital limit £23,250, lower £14,250, £1 a week assumed income for every £250 in between, minimum income guarantee £241.45 a week (pension age, single person), personal expenses allowance £31.80 a week. Source: GOV.UK charging circular. This is an estimate, not a financial assessment; your council will do the real one, and some councils are more generous.
3. Take the funding yourself
A direct payment puts you in charge: you hire the agency or carer. You can ask for one whenever the council contributes to the cost.
Help for carers
Looking after someone? You can be assessed separately, free.
Durham County Council: support for carers. In the area: Durham County Carers Support.
Useful from the council
- Services directory: Connecting County Durham
Local picture: County Durham
Gainford Care Homes Limited runs more registered services in County Durham than any other provider: 7 care homes. WT HI OpCo 1 Limited follows with 6 services. In the past year, 30 new CQC ratings came out for County Durham, and 6 went up, 2 moved to a lower rating, 5 were new services getting a first rating; the latest is dated 6 October 2026.
Look closely at Well-led when you read reports for care homes in County Durham: 14 of the 139 rated for it fall below Good. Outstanding ratings are most common for Responsive: 14 of 139. CQC added 5 home care agencies and 12 care homes in County Durham to its register over the past year; new services may not be rated yet.
Home care in County Durham: 67 agencies on the CQC register, 48 of them rated, and 94% of those rated Good or Outstanding, better than England (88%). 9 care homes in County Durham are rated Outstanding, and 10 are rated Requires improvement or Inadequate (7% of those rated; England: 17%).
Of County Durham's 143 care homes, 138 have a CQC rating; 93% of those are Good or Outstanding, against 83% for England. 38% (54) are registered to provide nursing care. How recent are the ratings? For care homes in County Durham, the median age is 44 months (47 for England as a whole); 27% are under two years old.
Data: CQC, Oct 2026.
More guides for County Durham
- Care prices in County Durham
- How care is paid for in County Durham
- Getting a care needs assessment in County Durham
- Dementia care in County Durham
- Learning disability care in County Durham
- Mental health care in County Durham
- Physical disability care in County Durham
- Sight and hearing loss care in County Durham
- Top rated care homes in County Durham
- County Durham: best rated home care agencies
- Nursing homes in County Durham
County Durham is in County Durham. Home care across County Durham · Care homes across County Durham · Top rated in County Durham
Free download
Choosing a care home: the 40-point checklist
Use it to compare up to three homes on the same questions, from CQC reports and staffing to the room, fees and contract terms.
Care by town in County Durham
Pelton
Seaham
Chester-le-Street
Durham
Sacriston
Spennymoor
Bowburn
Bishop Auckland
Newton Aycliffe
Lanchester
Stanley
Easington
Ferryhill
Consett
Esh Winning
Horden
Peterlee
Barnard Castle
Crook
Frequently asked
How many care homes are there in County Durham?
There are 143 care homes registered with CQC in County Durham, with 5,222 beds in total (CQC register, Oct 2026). 93% of those with a published rating are Good or Outstanding. Best rated care homes in County Durham.
How many home care agencies are there in County Durham?
67 home care agencies registered with CQC are based in County Durham (Oct 2026). 94% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Agencies based nearby may also cover the area.
How good are care homes in County Durham?
93% of rated care homes in County Durham are Good or Outstanding, above the England figure of 82.6%. 9 are rated Outstanding and 10 Requires improvement or Inadequate. How every council area compares.
How much does a care home cost in County Durham?
A care home in County Durham costs a typical £1,230 a week for someone paying for themselves: about £1,230 for residential care and £1,370 for nursing care. Our Care Fees and Quality Index (Q4 2026) models these prices; real quotes will vary. See what you might pay.
How much does home care cost per hour in County Durham?
Home care in County Durham costs a typical £33.50 an hour for someone paying privately (Q4 2026). Expect higher rates for evenings, weekends and bank holidays, and check the shortest visit each agency offers.
Which care homes in County Durham are rated Outstanding?
Eden House, Jack Dormand Care Home, Highview House, The Hawthorns, Grizedale and Hawthorn House are rated Outstanding by CQC (9 in total).
How many care homes in County Durham offer nursing or dementia care?
54 care homes in County Durham are registered to provide nursing care and 92 list dementia as a specialism. The two often overlap. Nursing homes in County Durham.
Is it hard to find a care home bed in County Durham?
County Durham has 43.4 care home beds for every 1,000 people aged 65 and over, against 43.0 across England, which ranks 60 of 151 council areas. Fewer beds usually means fewer vacancies to choose from, so start looking early. Care Access Gap.
How old are care home ratings in County Durham?
36.2% of rated care homes in County Durham were last rated more than four years ago, and the typical rating is 44 months old. Note the rating date and ask the home what is different now.
How do I ask Durham County Council for a care needs assessment?
Contact Durham County Council adult social care on 03000 267 979. The assessment is free for anyone who appears to need care, whatever their savings, and is a legal right under the Care Act 2014. Request an assessment online.
Which care groups run the most care homes in County Durham?
The largest providers in County Durham are Gainford Care Homes Limited (7), WT HI OpCo 1 Limited (6) and HC-One No.2 Limited (5). CQC rates every home on its own.
Paying privately, or topping up? Tell us what's needed and we'll pass your request to up to three providers in County Durham that take enquiries through us. Only the ones you tick see your details.
Find care with spaceReferences
- www.durham.gov.uk/article/2316/Adult-Care
- www.durham.gov.uk/article/5690/Care-and-support-for-adults
- www.durham.gov.uk/article/5655/Get-your-care-needs-assessed
- www.durham.gov.uk/SocialCareDirect
- www.durham.gov.uk/article/1967/Contact-Social-Care-Direct
- www.durham.gov.uk/article/27855/Paying-for-care-and-support
- www.durham.gov.uk/article/5765/How-much-you-will-have-to-pay-for-care-and-support-services
- www.durham.gov.uk/carers
- gov.uk: Care Act statutory guidance
Register information from CQC as at Oct 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0 applies. We do not deliver care ourselves.