Adult social care
Care and support from the council in Kensington and Chelsea
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea is the place to start. Any adult who seems to need help may be assessed, at no cost, however much you have saved. Main number: 020 7361 3013.
Last reviewed: 15 October 2026.
1. Request an assessment
The Care Act 2014 gives this right to anyone who appears to need care and support, at no cost. An assessor works through daily tasks and compares any difficulties with national eligibility rules. Nothing obliges you to accept services afterwards.
Start a request with Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, or phone 020 7361 3013.
Adult social care information, money advice and the services directory are on People First (peoplefirstinfo.org.uk), shared with Westminster City Council; the ASC team's out-of-hours number is 020 7373 2227.
2. Work out your contribution
Eligible people then have their finances checked. The national limits: above £23,250 the person generally pays for all of it; under £14,250, capital is disregarded; between the two, a notional "tariff income" is added. With help at home, the house is disregarded; in residential care, property usually counts unless a partner, or a relative who qualifies, is still living in it, but is ignored for the first 12 weeks of a permanent stay.
Costs and contributions in Kensington and Chelsea
Typical prices for care in and around Kensington and Chelsea, and an estimate of what the person would pay towards it and what Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea might pay. The calculator starts with local prices; change them to a quote you have.
| Kind of care | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Visiting care | £30–£40 an hour |
| Sleeping night | £190–£230 |
| Waking night | £240–£320 |
| Live-in care | £1,300–£1,800 a week |
| Residential care home | £1,456 a week |
| Nursing home | £1,680 a week |
Typical 2026 prices in London · Average 2026 self-funder fees in London · Which?, self-funder fees (Lottie data, January 2026).
Uses England's 2026/27 rules. Capital limits are £23,250 (upper) and £14,250 (lower); each £250 between them counts as £1 a week of income. A single person over pension age keeps at least £241.45 a week at home, and £31.80 a week in a care home. See the GOV.UK charging circular. Treat the result as a guide only: the council's own financial assessment decides, and some 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.
Support for family carers
Carers are entitled to their own free carer's assessment, separate from the person they look after.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: support for carers. Local carers' support: Carers Network (Kensington and Chelsea Hub).
More from the council
- Services directory: People First
Local picture: Kensington and Chelsea
In Kensington and Chelsea, CQC has published 9 ratings in the past 12 months (1 was first ratings); the newest is from 20 October 2026. Royal Hospital Chelsea and Support for Living Limited jointly run the most registered services in Kensington and Chelsea, 2 each.
England-wide, 88% of rated home care agencies are Good or Outstanding; in Kensington and Chelsea it is 92%, from 13 rated agencies among the 15 registered. There are 11 care homes in Kensington and Chelsea, and 90% of the 10 with a rating are Good or Outstanding (better than England's 83%). 55% (6) are registered to provide nursing care.
1 home care agency and 0 care homes in Kensington and Chelsea registered with CQC in the last 12 months. Ratings for care homes in Kensington and Chelsea are a median 15 months old (47 for England as a whole), and 60% were given in the last two years.
2 care homes in Kensington and Chelsea are rated Outstanding, and 1 is rated Requires improvement or Inadequate (10% of those rated; the England share is 17%).
Figures: CQC register, Oct 2026.
Kensington and Chelsea: guides and lists
- Care prices in Kensington and Chelsea
- Funding care in Kensington and Chelsea
- Asking for a needs assessment in Kensington and Chelsea
- Dementia care in Kensington and Chelsea
- Learning disability care in Kensington and Chelsea
- Mental health care in Kensington and Chelsea
- Physical disability care in Kensington and Chelsea
- Sight and hearing loss care in Kensington and Chelsea
- Highest rated care homes in Kensington and Chelsea
- Best rated home care agencies in Kensington and Chelsea
- Kensington and Chelsea nursing homes compared
Kensington and Chelsea sits within London. Home care across London · Care homes across London · Top rated in London
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Choosing a care home: the 40-point checklist
Covers CQC checks, staff, daily routine, rooms, fees and contracts, with columns for three homes.
Search care across Kensington and Chelsea
Kensington and Chelsea
Frequently asked
How many care homes are there in Kensington and Chelsea?
There are 11 care homes registered with CQC in Kensington and Chelsea, with 443 beds in total (CQC register, Oct 2026). 90% of those with a published rating are Good or Outstanding. Best rated care homes in Kensington and Chelsea.
How many home care agencies are there in Kensington and Chelsea?
15 home care agencies registered with CQC are based in Kensington and Chelsea (Oct 2026). 92% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Agencies based nearby may also cover the area.
How good are care homes in Kensington and Chelsea?
90% of rated care homes in Kensington and Chelsea are Good or Outstanding, above the England figure of 82.6%. 2 are rated Outstanding and 1 Requires improvement or Inadequate. See how other areas compare.
How much does a care home cost in Kensington and Chelsea?
A care home in Kensington and Chelsea costs a typical £1,770 a week for someone paying for themselves: about £1,620 for residential care and £1,870 for nursing care. Our Care Fees and Quality Index (Q4 2026) models these prices; real quotes will vary. Work out what you would pay.
How much does home care cost per hour in Kensington and Chelsea?
Home care in Kensington and Chelsea costs a typical £37.50 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 Kensington and Chelsea are rated Outstanding?
Margaret Thatcher Infirmary and Loveday Kensington are rated Outstanding by CQC.
How many care homes in Kensington and Chelsea offer nursing or dementia care?
6 care homes in Kensington and Chelsea are registered to provide nursing care and 7 list dementia as a specialism. The two often overlap. Nursing homes in Kensington and Chelsea.
Is it hard to find a care home bed in Kensington and Chelsea?
Kensington and Chelsea has 18.9 care home beds for every 1,000 people aged 65 and over, against 43.0 across England, which ranks 146 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 Kensington and Chelsea?
10% of rated care homes in Kensington and Chelsea were last rated more than four years ago, and the typical rating is 15 months old. Note the rating date and ask the home what is different now.
How do I ask Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea for a care needs assessment?
Contact Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea adult social care on 020 7361 3013. The assessment is free for anyone who appears to need care, whatever their savings, and is a legal right under the Care Act 2014. Online assessment request.
Which care groups run the most care homes in Kensington and Chelsea?
The largest providers in Kensington and Chelsea are Support for Living Limited (2). 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 Kensington and Chelsea that take enquiries through us. Only the ones you tick see your details.
Find care with spaceReferences
- www.rbkc.gov.uk/adult-social-care
- www.rbkc.gov.uk/kensington-and-chelsea-adult-social-care-team
- www.rbkc.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/get-support-adult-social-care
- www.rbkc.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/support-carers
- www.rbkc.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/adult-social-care/fair-cost-care-and-market-sustainability
- www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk/
- www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk/money-benefits-and-legal/
- peoplefirstinfo.org.uk/money-and-legal/paying-for-support/personal-budgets-and-direct-payments
- gov.uk: Care Act statutory guidance
CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.