Help from your council

Care and support from the council in Essex

Every adult in Essex who looks as though they need care can ask Essex County Council to assess them. Money makes no difference to that right. Main number: 0345 603 7630.

Checked against Essex County Council's website on 15 October 2026.

1. Start with a needs assessment

It costs nothing, the law guarantees it, and it ties you to nothing. The aim is to establish which everyday tasks are a struggle and whether national thresholds are met.

Request an assessment from Essex County Council or ring 0345 603 7630.

Requests for social care help can be made through the council's online 'Ask for social care help' form, and carer's assessments are requested through the carers team.

2. The means test

A means test follows for anyone eligible. Below £14,250, savings are not counted at all; over £23,250, the person normally meets the whole cost; in the band between, tariff income is assumed. Support at home leaves the property out. Residential care brings it in after the first 12 weeks of a permanent stay, unless it is still home to a partner or to certain relatives.

Essex County Council: paying for care.

Get prices from 3 care providers near Essex

Answer a few short questions. We match you to rated services covering your postcode, and you decide who hears from you.

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.

What care could cost in Essex

Here are local price ranges. The calculator below uses them to split the cost between the person and the council; swap in a real quote if you have one.

CarePrice range
Visiting carearound £32–£34 an hour
Live-in carearound £1,540–£1,610 a week
Residential care home£1,250 a week
Nursing home£1,530 a week

Typical 2026 prices across England · Average 2026 self-funder fees in East of England · 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. Direct payments

Council funding, whether partial or full, can be paid to you so that you organise support yourself, with the agency of your choice.

Essex County Council: direct payments.

Family carers

You do not have to wait for the person you support: a carer's assessment is a separate right, and free of charge.

Essex County Council: support for carers. Local carers' support: Specialist carer organisations including Action for Family Carers, Carers First and Essex Carers Support.

Also from Essex County Council

Essex in numbers

Essex has 7 Outstanding care homes; 16% of its rated care homes (59) sit below Good, compared with 17% nationally. Of Essex's 399 care homes, 363 have a CQC rating; 84% of those are Good or Outstanding, against 83% for England. Nursing homes make up 84 of the total, or 21%.

33 home care agencies and 23 care homes in Essex registered with CQC in the last 12 months. Home care in Essex: 474 agencies on the CQC register, 310 of them rated, and 90% of those rated Good or Outstanding, above England (88%).

The key question that most often falls short for care homes in Essex is Well-led (82 of 364 below Good). 15 of 364 care homes are rated Outstanding for Responsive, a higher share than for any other area. In Essex, 25% of rated care homes have a rating from the past two years, and the median rating dates from 54 months ago, compared with 47 nationally.

By CQC registrations, Runwood Homes Limited is the biggest operator in Essex (22 services: 22 care homes). The second largest is Zero Three Care Homes LLP (11 services). In Essex, CQC has published 96 ratings in the past 12 months; of those, 9 improved, 4 were downgraded, 12 were first-ever ratings; the newest is from 22 October 2026.

Figures: CQC register, Oct 2026.

Essex: guides and lists

Essex includes Essex. Home care across Essex · Care homes across Essex · Top rated in Essex

Free download

Choosing a care home: the 40-point checklist

Covers CQC checks, staff, daily routine, rooms, fees and contracts, with columns for three homes.

Towns in Essex

Care in Essex: common questions

How many care homes are there in Essex?

There are 399 care homes registered with CQC in Essex, with 12,771 beds in total (CQC register, Oct 2026). 84% of those with a published rating are Good or Outstanding. Best rated care homes in Essex.

How many home care agencies are there in Essex?

474 home care agencies registered with CQC are based in Essex (Oct 2026). 90% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Agencies based nearby may also cover the area.

How good are care homes in Essex?

84% of rated care homes in Essex are Good or Outstanding, about the same as the England figure of 82.6%. 7 are rated Outstanding and 59 Requires improvement or Inadequate. See how other areas compare.

How much does a care home cost in Essex?

A care home in Essex costs a typical £1,500 a week for someone paying for themselves: about £1,460 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. Work out what you would pay.

How much does home care cost per hour in Essex?

Home care in Essex 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 Essex are rated Outstanding?

Manor Lodge, Hallmark Anisha Grange Luxury Care Home, Howard Lodge Care Centre, Firstlings, The Oakes and Clayburn Lodge are rated Outstanding by CQC (7 in total).

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

84 care homes in Essex are registered to provide nursing care and 213 list dementia as a specialism. Many homes offer both. Nursing homes in Essex.

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

Essex has 39.1 care home beds for every 1,000 people aged 65 and over, against 43.0 across England, which ranks 96 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 Essex?

54.9% of rated care homes in Essex were last rated more than four years ago, and the typical rating is 55 months old. Check the date on any rating and ask what has changed since.

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

Contact Essex County Council adult social care on 0345 603 7630. It costs nothing and savings do not affect your right to it (Care Act 2014). Online assessment request.

Which care groups run the most care homes in Essex?

The largest providers in Essex are Runwood Homes Limited (22), Zero Three Care Homes LLP (10) and Meadowview Care Limited (8). Check each home, as CQC rates them individually.

Paying for care in Essex? One short form reaches up to three providers that handle enquiries through The Care Panel. Your details go only where you say.

Ask about availability

Where this comes from

Provider details from the Care Quality Commission register, updated Oct 2026. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is not a care provider.

Cookie settings