Care by condition · Gloucestershire
Learning disability care in Gloucestershire: who can help
Looking for help in Gloucestershire? 89 domiciliary services and 81 residential or nursing homes are registered for learning disability care. Here are the top rated, the route to council help, and charities that can advise.
Source: CQC register (registered specialisms) · Refreshed 19 October 2026
In short
- Help at home: 89 providers, 86% Good or Outstanding.
- Residential and nursing: 81 homes, 94% Good or Outstanding.
- Needs assessment from Gloucestershire County Council, at no cost: 01452 426 868 (Adult Social Care Helpdesk).
- Call 0808 808 1111 for the Mencap Learning Disability Helpline.
Cite this: The Care Panel, "Learning disability care in Gloucestershire: who can help", analysis of the CQC register, Oct 2026.
Agencies with this specialism
Best rating first; newer inspections rank higher.
- Bluebird Care (Stroud and Cirencester)
- TLC Support Services Limited
- Aroma Care - Cotswold
- Bramble Home Care Limited
- Brighter Home Care
- Care at Home Gloucester
- Caremark Cheltenham and Tewkesbury
- Foundation House
- Global Caring Gloucester
- Kind Tailored Care Ltd
Towns
- Gloucester 50
- Cheltenham 16
- Stroud 10
- Cinderford 9
- Nailsworth 7
- Cam 5
Care homes in Gloucestershire
Best rating first; newer inspections rank higher.
- National Star College - Ullenwood
- Bradbury Gardens
- Foundation House
- Gatwick Rise
- Joyleen
- Kings Den
- Longhouse
- Matson House
- Rebe
- Stepping Stones Red Marley
Towns
- Gloucester 18
- Cinderford 10
- Cheltenham 10
- Nailsworth 8
- Stroud 4
- Lydney 3
Help outside the council
National advice: Mencap Learning Disability Helpline, 0808 808 1111. In the area: Gloucestershire Carers Hub (PeoplePlus).
How Gloucestershire compares for learning disability care
Across England 52% of home care agencies register to support people who have a learning disability. In Gloucestershire it is 89 of 182, or 49%. Quality: 86% Good or Outstanding among the 71 rated specialist home care agencies, against 88% for every rated home care agencies in Gloucestershire and 89% for this specialism nationally. 7 specialist home care agencies are rated Outstanding and 10 Requires improvement or Inadequate.
CQC has not yet rated 18 of them. Holmleigh Care Homes Limited has more of the specialist home care agencies than any other company: 3. 81 of the 199 care homes in Gloucestershire (41%) are registered to support people who have a learning disability; across England the share is 34%.
94% of rated specialist care homes here are Good or Outstanding (80 rated), ahead of the England figure for the same specialism (86%). For all care homes in Gloucestershire it is 86%. Nursing is available in 6 of them. Their combined capacity is 932 beds. Specialist care homes rated Outstanding: 6. Rated below Good: 5.
1 is still waiting for a first rating. The largest operator among them is D & L Support Ltd, with 7. Gloucester (18) and Cinderford (10) list the largest numbers of specialist care homes in or near them among the area's towns.
CQC data, Oct 2026; specialisms are as providers registered them.
Council support
Gloucestershire County Council assesses needs first, free of charge and whatever your savings. The assessor checks daily tasks against national eligibility rules. How to ask in Gloucestershire.
Where the council pays, its contribution can come to you as a direct payment, so you choose a specialist provider yourself. Separately, Attendance Allowance ignores savings. Funding care in Gloucestershire.
What to check before you choose
- A listed specialism is self-declared and does not prove experience.
- Ask about clients with similar needs and the training staff get.
- Check continuity (a small regular team) and how upset or refusals are handled.
- Read the full report, not only the grade.
More to ask:
- How do you support work, education, hobbies and relationships?
- How do you reduce restrictive practices?
- How do you support communication, including Easy Read or Makaton?
Learning disability care in Gloucestershire: common questions
Is there council funding for learning disability care in Gloucestershire?
With capital below £23,250 and qualifying needs, the council may meet some or the whole bill once it has assessed finances. The starting point is an assessment of needs, free of charge.
How many services in Gloucestershire care for people who have a learning disability?
89 home care agencies and 81 care homes in Gloucestershire list this specialism with CQC (Oct 2026). Of those rated, 86% of the agencies and 94% of the homes are Good or Outstanding.
Is there help outside the council?
The national helpline is 0808 808 1111: Mencap Learning Disability Helpline.
More about care in Gloucestershire
- Contacting the council in Gloucestershire
- How much care costs in Gloucestershire
- Funding care in Gloucestershire
- Asking for a needs assessment in Gloucestershire
- Dementia care in Gloucestershire
- Mental health care in Gloucestershire
- Physical disability care in Gloucestershire
- Sight and hearing loss care in Gloucestershire
Built from the Care Quality Commission's register (Oct 2026) under Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel lists and compares services but runs none.