Care by condition · Devon

Learning disability care in Devon

The regulator lists 86 homes and 68 agencies in Devon with this specialism. Below: the best rated, how Devon County Council can help, and other places to turn.

Source: CQC register (registered specialisms) · Refreshed 19 October 2026

Key facts

  • Help at home: 68 providers, 95% Good or Outstanding.
  • Residential and nursing: 86 homes, 91% Good or Outstanding.
  • Needs assessment from Devon County Council, at no cost: 0345 155 1007.
  • Mencap Learning Disability Helpline: 0808 808 1111.

Reference: Learning disability care in Devon. The Care Panel, Oct 2026.

Agencies with this specialism

Ranked by CQC rating and how recent it is.

Town by town

Care homes in Devon

Ranked by CQC rating and how recent it is.

Town by town

What the CQC register shows for learning disability care in Devon

44% is the share of Devon's home care agencies registered for learning disability care: 68 out of 153. Nationally it is 52%. Quality: 95% Good or Outstanding among the 57 rated specialist home care agencies, against 92% for every rated home care agencies in Devon and 89% for this specialism nationally. Among them, 3 are rated below Good and 8 Outstanding.

11 of the specialist home care agencies have not been rated yet. By number of services, Nurse Plus and Carer Plus (UK) Limited leads locally with 2. In Devon, 28% of care homes list this specialism with CQC (86 of 309), against 34% of care homes in England.

91% of rated specialist care homes here are Good or Outstanding (82 rated), better than the England figure for the same specialism (86%). For all care homes in Devon it is 90%. Nursing is available in 9 of them. Together they register 1,316 beds. Ratings at the ends of the scale: 5 Outstanding, 7 Requires improvement or Inadequate.

There is no published rating yet for 4 of these care homes. Devon County Council runs the most of these care homes (4). By town, Exeter leads with 14 specialist home care agencies listed in or near it, ahead of Cranbrook with 9.

CQC data, Oct 2026; specialisms are as providers registered them.

How to choose

Registration only shows a provider has declared this specialism to the regulator. It says nothing about staff experience, so ask: how many people with similar needs do you support now? What training do your carers get? Will we see the same few faces? What happens when someone becomes upset or says no? Finally, read the inspection report in full.

Other questions to put to each provider:

  • How are families and advocates involved in decisions?
  • How do you follow "Right support, right care, right culture"?
  • How do you support communication, including Easy Read or Makaton?

Help from Devon County Council

Attendance Allowance has no means test, and a direct payment (when the council is funding care) lets you hire a provider with relevant expertise. How care is paid for in Devon.

Both follow an assessment of needs, which is free. Savings play no part in getting one; the test is whether day-to-day difficulties meet national eligibility rules. Getting assessed in Devon.

Support beyond the council

Mencap Learning Disability Helpline: 0808 808 1111.

Learning disability care in Devon: common questions

Will Devon County Council help pay for learning disability care?

Possibly. Needs are assessed first (free). Where they qualify, a means test follows, and below £23,250 in capital the council funds part or all of it.

Which providers in Devon are registered for learning disability care?

There are 68 domiciliary services and 86 residential or nursing homes registered for it in Devon (Oct 2026); where inspected, 95% and 91% respectively score Good or above.

Where else can we get support?

Mencap Learning Disability Helpline: 0808 808 1111.

Other guides for Devon

Register information from CQC as at Oct 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0 applies. We do not deliver care ourselves.

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