Adult social care

Care and support from the council in Devon

Devon County Council is the place to start. Any adult who seems to need help may be assessed, free to you, no matter what savings you have. Main number: 0345 155 1007.

Last reviewed: 15 October 2026.

1. Ask for a care needs assessment

The assessment is free and is a legal right under the Care Act 2014. It looks at what the person can and cannot manage, and whether they meet the national eligibility criteria. It does not commit you to council-arranged care.

Start a request with Devon County Council or call 0345 155 1007.

Devon asks people to try its online self-help tool first, which can lead to an online self-assessment; Adult Social Care can help you complete it by phone. Carers can request a carer's assessment, by phone or in person, through the Caring In Devon Helpline on 03456 434 435, Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.

2. Find out what you will pay

If the person is eligible, the council carries out a financial assessment. In England, someone with savings above £23,250 is usually expected to fund the care in full; below £14,250, capital is disregarded, and in between a tariff income applies. For care at home, the home itself is left out. For a care home it usually is counted, unless a partner, or a relative who qualifies, is still living in it, though not for the first 12 weeks of a permanent stay.

Devon County Council: paying for care.

Get matched to rated care in Devon

Tell us what care is needed and the postcode. We show the CQC-rated services that cover it and pass your request only to the ones you tick.

Care at home, or a care home?

No sign-up. You see your matches before giving any contact details.

What kind of care at home?

When is it needed?
Where is care needed?

The home address of the person who needs care, or where you would like the care home to be. Not where you are now.

How will care be paid for? (optional, helps providers quote)

Add who it's for or a note (optional)

Who needs care?

By sending, you agree we will contact you by phone and email about your request and share your name, email, phone and care needs with the providers you have ticked, so they can contact you. Privacy notice.

Free · No obligation · Only CQC-registered providers · Only the ones you tick see your details

Providers pay us a fee for each enquiry, never to rank higher in our lists.

Care cost estimate for Devon

The table gives typical regional prices. Underneath, a calculator estimates who pays what, starting from those rates, which you can overwrite.

ServiceUsual price
Visiting carearound £32–£34 an hour
Live-in carearound £1,540–£1,610 a week
Residential care home£1,349 a week
Nursing home£1,546 a week
Council rate2026/27 (new placements in care homes for older people): residential £962.42–£1,243.77 per week (levels 1–3); nursing £1,212.96–£1,321.70 per week plus £267.68 FNC (levels 4–5)

Typical 2026 prices across England · Average 2026 self-funder fees in South West · Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026 · Which?, self-funder fees (Lottie data, January 2026).

What kind of care?

This calculator follows the 2026/27 English charging rules (GOV.UK charging circular): £23,250 upper limit, £14,250 lower limit, tariff income of £1 a week per £250, a £241.45 weekly minimum income guarantee for a single pensioner, and a £31.80 weekly personal expenses allowance. It gives an estimate only; the council's assessment is what counts, and some councils charge less.

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.

Devon County Council: direct payments.

If you look after someone

Unpaid carers have a right to be assessed in their own right, free to you.

Devon County Council: support for carers.

Council resources

  • Rates the council publishes: 2026/27 (new placements in care homes for older people): residential £962.42–£1,243.77 per week (levels 1–3); nursing £1,212.96–£1,321.70 per week plus £267.68 FNC (levels 4–5) (source). Choosing a pricier provider means paying the gap.

Local picture: Devon

Among care homes in Devon, Well-led is the area most often rated below Good: 38 of the 289 with a Well-led rating. Caring has the most Outstanding ratings (33 of 289). 4 home care agencies and 14 care homes in Devon registered with CQC in the last 12 months.

CQC registers 309 care homes in Devon. 289 are rated, and 90% of these are Good or Outstanding; the England figure is 83%. 20% (63) are registered to provide nursing care. In Devon, CQC has published 57 ratings in the past 12 months: 1 was upgraded, 6 fell, 7 services were rated for the first time; the newest is from 16 October 2026.

By CQC registrations, Devon County Council is the biggest operator in Devon (10 services: 5 care homes and 5 home care agencies). Stonehaven (Healthcare) Ltd follows with 6 services. 22% of rated care homes in Devon were rated in the last two years. The typical rating is 63 months old, compared with 47 nationally.

21 care homes in Devon are rated Outstanding, and 29 are rated Requires improvement or Inadequate (10% of those rated, against 17% in England). 153 home care agencies are registered with CQC in Devon. Of the 120 with a rating, 92% are Good or Outstanding, better than the England figure of 88%.

Figures: CQC register, Oct 2026.

Devon: guides and lists

Devon is part of Devon. Home care across Devon · Care homes across Devon · Top rated in Devon

Free download

Free printable: 40 things to check in a care home

Forty questions on staffing, daily life, rooms, fees and the contract, laid out so you can compare three homes.

Find care in Devon

Frequently asked

How many care homes are there in Devon?

There are 309 care homes registered with CQC in Devon, with 8,640 beds in total (CQC register, Oct 2026). 90% of those with a published rating are Good or Outstanding. Best rated care homes in Devon.

How many home care agencies are there in Devon?

153 home care agencies registered with CQC are based in Devon (Oct 2026). 92% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Agencies based nearby may also cover the area.

How good are care homes in Devon?

90% of rated care homes in Devon are Good or Outstanding, above the England figure of 82.6%. 21 are rated Outstanding and 29 Requires improvement or Inadequate. Council areas ranked for care home quality.

How much does a care home cost in Devon?

A care home in Devon costs a typical £1,530 a week for someone paying for themselves: about £1,530 for residential care and £1,690 for nursing care. Figures are modelled from our Care Fees and Quality Index (Q4 2026) and are not quotes. Check what you could be charged.

How much does home care cost per hour in Devon?

Home care in Devon costs a typical £33.50 an hour for someone paying privately (Q4 2026). Weekend, evening and bank holiday rates are usually higher, and short visits may not be offered.

Which care homes in Devon are rated Outstanding?

The Lodge, Sefton Hall, Exmouth House, Arcot House Residential Home, InFocus Charity and Keychange Charity Rose Lawn Care Home are rated Outstanding by CQC (21 in total).

How many care homes in Devon offer nursing or dementia care?

63 care homes in Devon are registered to provide nursing care and 174 list dementia as a specialism. Many homes offer both. Nursing homes in Devon.

Is it hard to find a care home bed in Devon?

Devon has 38.0 care home beds for every 1,000 people aged 65 and over, against 43.0 across England, which ranks 101 of 151 council areas. A lower figure tends to mean fewer rooms free at any time; begin looking before you need to. Care Access Gap.

How old are care home ratings in Devon?

59.2% of rated care homes in Devon were last rated more than four years ago, and the typical rating is 63 months old. Check the date on any rating and ask what has changed since.

How do I ask Devon County Council for a care needs assessment?

Contact Devon County Council adult social care on 0345 155 1007. It costs nothing and savings do not affect your right to it (Care Act 2014). Ask for an assessment online.

Which care groups run the most care homes in Devon?

The largest providers in Devon are Stonehaven (Healthcare) Ltd (6), Devon County Council (5) and The Community of St Antony & St Elias (5). Check each home, as CQC rates them individually.

Paying privately, or topping up? Tell us what's needed and we'll pass your request to up to three providers in Devon that take enquiries through us. Only the ones you tick see your details.

Find care with space

References

CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.

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