Data · updated monthly
England care statistics 2026
How many home care agencies and care homes there are in England, how the Care Quality Commission rates them, how recently they were inspected, and what care costs, by region and council area. Snapshot taken 16 October 2026 from the CQC register; next update 1 November 2026.
Key figures, October 2026
- England has 14,348 CQC-registered home care agencies and 14,811 care homes.
- 87.6% of rated home care agencies are Good or Outstanding, and 82.6% of rated care homes.
- 423 home care agencies and 619 care homes are rated Outstanding.
- 40.8% of home care agencies have no published rating yet, against 8.9% of care homes.
- 58.4% of rated home care agencies and 50.0% of rated care homes were last rated more than four years ago.
- 30.1% of care homes provide nursing; 56.7% of care homes and 78.8% of home care agencies list dementia as a specialism.
Cite this: The Care Panel, "England care statistics", analysis of the CQC register, October 2026, https://thecarepanel.co.uk/england-care-statistics/. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Home care agencies in England: CQC ratings
| Rating | Services | Share of rated |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 423 | 5.0% |
| Good | 7,010 | 82.6% |
| Requires improvement | 1,021 | 12.0% |
| Inadequate | 35 | 0.4% |
| Not yet rated | 5,859 | – |
| All | 14,348 |
Home care agencies by region
| Region | Services | Good or Outstanding | Outstanding | Rated in last 2 years | Rated 4+ years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East of England | 1,812 | 86.1% | 63 | 12.8% | 64.6% |
| East Midlands | 1,423 | 84.3% | 43 | 17.8% | 60.2% |
| London | 2,435 | 87.8% | 33 | 22.4% | 47.8% |
| North East | 424 | 94.8% | 24 | 19.9% | 47.6% |
| North West | 1,588 | 91.2% | 52 | 15.7% | 63.4% |
| South East | 2,501 | 86.9% | 83 | 19.2% | 60.7% |
| South West | 1,327 | 91.3% | 62 | 22.5% | 55.1% |
| West Midlands | 1,598 | 81.3% | 31 | 13.1% | 68.6% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1,240 | 88.9% | 32 | 27.6% | 53.0% |
Care homes in England: CQC ratings
| Rating | Services | Share of rated |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 619 | 4.6% |
| Good | 10,528 | 78.0% |
| Requires improvement | 2,250 | 16.7% |
| Inadequate | 100 | 0.7% |
| Not yet rated | 1,314 | – |
| All | 14,811 |
Care homes by region
| Region | Services | Good or Outstanding | Outstanding | Rated in last 2 years | Rated 4+ years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East of England | 1,632 | 79.7% | 79 | 25.2% | 55.5% |
| East Midlands | 1,446 | 79.5% | 86 | 31.7% | 45.1% |
| London | 1,275 | 89.4% | 31 | 26.1% | 42.3% |
| North East | 731 | 91.8% | 39 | 30.6% | 41.9% |
| North West | 1,872 | 79.7% | 60 | 23.9% | 51.2% |
| South East | 2,831 | 81.9% | 116 | 27.4% | 53.3% |
| South West | 1,855 | 88.9% | 95 | 27.5% | 48.6% |
| West Midlands | 1,695 | 77.7% | 45 | 23.0% | 55.2% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1,474 | 80.4% | 68 | 31.0% | 47.3% |
What care costs, by region (2026)
| Region | Home care (hourly) | Live-in care (weekly) | Residential care home (weekly) | Nursing home (weekly) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North East | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,095 | £1,160 |
| North West | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,100 | £1,400 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,115 | £1,400 |
| East Midlands | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,125 | £1,370 |
| West Midlands | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,206 | £1,400 |
| East of England | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,250 | £1,530 |
| London | £30–£40 | £1,300–£1,800 | £1,456 | £1,680 |
| South East | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,450 | £1,695 |
| South West | around £32–£34 | around £1,540–£1,610 | £1,349 | £1,546 |
Care home fees: Which?, average self-funder fees by region (Lottie data, January 2026). Home care: Lottie Care Index (England) and The Care Panel's London guide; no reliable regional self-funder rates for home care exist outside London. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Council rates are on each council care cost guide.
By council area
Every council area in England with registered services. Figures are for services registered in the area.
| Council area | Home care agencies | Good or Outstanding | Care homes | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barking and Dagenham | 159 | 85.3% | 22 | 95.2% |
| Barnet | 95 | 94.9% | 80 | 85.5% |
| Barnsley | 56 | 95.3% | 70 | 81.8% |
| Bath and North East Somerset | 29 | 68.4% | 55 | 84.3% |
| Bedford | 79 | 81.1% | 73 | 78.3% |
| Bexley | 68 | 59.4% | 31 | 75.9% |
| Birmingham | 316 | 75.9% | 283 | 76.8% |
| Blackburn with Darwen | 37 | 90.5% | 34 | 83.9% |
| Blackpool | 28 | 94.1% | 68 | 77.8% |
| Bolton | 63 | 95.2% | 57 | 83.3% |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 126 | 98.8% | 134 | 96.0% |
| Bracknell Forest | 29 | 76.5% | 19 | 73.3% |
| Bradford | 111 | 87.7% | 109 | 74.8% |
| Brent | 95 | 85.5% | 47 | 86.7% |
| Brighton and Hove | 52 | 86.1% | 86 | 91.6% |
| Bristol, City of | 93 | 100.0% | 92 | 97.7% |
| Bromley | 87 | 87.0% | 52 | 93.3% |
| Buckinghamshire | 133 | 80.6% | 136 | 73.6% |
| Bury | 54 | 94.1% | 52 | 85.4% |
| Calderdale | 49 | 88.9% | 46 | 78.0% |
| Cambridgeshire | 139 | 89.8% | 139 | 92.8% |
| Camden | 47 | 87.5% | 11 | 90.9% |
| Central Bedfordshire | 58 | 85.2% | 62 | 76.8% |
| Cheshire East | 95 | 87.7% | 106 | 77.1% |
| Cheshire West and Chester | 74 | 94.4% | 85 | 75.3% |
| City of London | 16 | 66.7% | 0 | – |
| Cornwall | 120 | 90.2% | 199 | 81.3% |
| County Durham | 67 | 93.5% | 143 | 92.8% |
| Coventry | 143 | 79.7% | 72 | 63.5% |
| Croydon | 156 | 82.6% | 129 | 90.0% |
| Cumberland | 62 | 87.5% | 78 | 79.5% |
| Darlington | 19 | 94.1% | 32 | 86.2% |
| Derby | 119 | 89.4% | 72 | 75.8% |
| Derbyshire | 145 | 94.9% | 240 | 81.2% |
| Devon | 154 | 91.2% | 309 | 89.8% |
| Doncaster | 72 | 97.8% | 80 | 81.1% |
| Dorset | 87 | 98.4% | 119 | 94.4% |
| Dudley | 65 | 78.1% | 92 | 69.9% |
| Ealing | 110 | 88.4% | 35 | 85.7% |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | 60 | 85.4% | 150 | 77.3% |
| East Sussex | 104 | 92.4% | 296 | 84.7% |
| Enfield | 116 | 88.2% | 82 | 82.4% |
| Essex | 474 | 89.9% | 404 | 84.2% |
| Gateshead | 43 | 97.0% | 49 | 97.9% |
| Gloucestershire | 182 | 87.1% | 199 | 85.6% |
| Greenwich | 107 | 64.7% | 42 | 82.5% |
| Hackney | 39 | 88.5% | 12 | 83.3% |
| Halton | 15 | 77.8% | 25 | 75.0% |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 39 | 100.0% | 10 | 87.5% |
| Hampshire | 358 | 89.8% | 483 | 84.8% |
| Haringey | 66 | 86.5% | 24 | 87.5% |
| Harrow | 93 | 92.7% | 52 | 93.9% |
| Hartlepool | 11 | 100.0% | 27 | 92.6% |
| Havering | 121 | 92.5% | 60 | 92.2% |
| Herefordshire, County of | 50 | 100.0% | 87 | 84.1% |
| Hertfordshire | 326 | 86.6% | 256 | 76.8% |
| Hillingdon | 83 | 100.0% | 48 | 90.7% |
| Hounslow | 74 | 93.2% | 32 | 92.9% |
| Isle of Wight | 40 | 90.3% | 61 | 71.2% |
| Isles of Scilly | 2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0.0% |
| Islington | 48 | 93.5% | 18 | 100.0% |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 15 | 91.7% | 11 | 88.9% |
| Kent | 411 | 82.1% | 502 | 78.9% |
| Kingston upon Hull, City of | 55 | 90.9% | 78 | 72.9% |
| Kingston upon Thames | 48 | 97.1% | 44 | 88.9% |
| Kirklees | 81 | 78.9% | 127 | 78.9% |
| Knowsley | 22 | 78.6% | 27 | 76.2% |
| Lambeth | 60 | 94.4% | 35 | 75.8% |
| Lancashire | 289 | 97.1% | 423 | 83.1% |
| Leeds | 241 | 82.8% | 160 | 78.1% |
| Leicester | 184 | 78.9% | 103 | 80.4% |
| Leicestershire | 172 | 82.5% | 164 | 81.0% |
| Lewisham | 86 | 62.8% | 49 | 95.7% |
| Lincolnshire | 127 | 85.5% | 284 | 77.0% |
| Liverpool | 107 | 93.0% | 88 | 68.9% |
| Luton | 69 | 56.8% | 35 | 72.7% |
| Manchester | 123 | 89.8% | 83 | 85.1% |
| Medway | 108 | 60.5% | 66 | 70.0% |
| Merton | 60 | 100.0% | 35 | 100.0% |
| Middlesbrough | 24 | 93.3% | 48 | 95.3% |
| Milton Keynes | 176 | 91.1% | 49 | 84.1% |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 49 | 97.3% | 74 | 90.5% |
| Newham | 90 | 89.1% | 23 | 90.5% |
| Norfolk | 174 | 76.3% | 319 | 66.3% |
| North East Lincolnshire | 25 | 94.4% | 55 | 86.0% |
| North Lincolnshire | 19 | 85.7% | 59 | 80.4% |
| North Northamptonshire | 146 | 83.8% | 110 | 80.8% |
| North Somerset | 42 | 95.8% | 96 | 96.6% |
| North Tyneside | 43 | 80.8% | 43 | 90.0% |
| Northumberland | 43 | 97.0% | 94 | 90.1% |
| North Yorkshire | 152 | 91.3% | 204 | 85.8% |
| Nottingham | 144 | 86.2% | 77 | 76.4% |
| Nottinghamshire | 203 | 90.2% | 280 | 84.7% |
| Oldham | 67 | 91.2% | 45 | 85.0% |
| Oxfordshire | 174 | 88.6% | 149 | 87.4% |
| Peterborough | 126 | 94.0% | 37 | 87.5% |
| Plymouth | 52 | 86.7% | 88 | 79.8% |
| Portsmouth | 59 | 74.1% | 30 | 73.3% |
| Reading | 61 | 73.3% | 32 | 75.9% |
| Redbridge | 130 | 91.8% | 77 | 85.9% |
| Redcar and Cleveland | 20 | 93.3% | 43 | 85.0% |
| Richmond upon Thames | 25 | 100.0% | 42 | 95.0% |
| Rochdale | 57 | 81.3% | 61 | 64.2% |
| Rotherham | 55 | 85.3% | 84 | 88.3% |
| Rutland | 14 | 83.3% | 11 | 81.8% |
| Salford | 56 | 93.3% | 43 | 78.9% |
| Sandwell | 90 | 73.5% | 94 | 73.3% |
| Sefton | 50 | 88.9% | 111 | 79.2% |
| Sheffield | 138 | 95.6% | 114 | 85.0% |
| Shropshire | 87 | 88.3% | 117 | 80.6% |
| Slough | 70 | 72.7% | 16 | 57.1% |
| Solihull | 57 | 87.2% | 63 | 88.3% |
| Somerset | 125 | 93.6% | 197 | 89.1% |
| Southampton | 102 | 83.8% | 51 | 83.0% |
| Southend-on-Sea | 78 | 83.3% | 84 | 92.2% |
| South Gloucestershire | 82 | 92.6% | 81 | 96.0% |
| South Tyneside | 17 | 93.3% | 34 | 93.5% |
| Southwark | 56 | 64.0% | 13 | 76.9% |
| St. Helens | 40 | 90.3% | 41 | 88.9% |
| Staffordshire | 169 | 79.2% | 271 | 77.9% |
| Stockport | 67 | 81.3% | 67 | 70.7% |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 45 | 96.4% | 57 | 91.8% |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 81 | 78.0% | 84 | 80.5% |
| Suffolk | 206 | 89.4% | 196 | 81.1% |
| Sunderland | 43 | 100.0% | 87 | 92.9% |
| Surrey | 296 | 92.6% | 381 | 81.3% |
| Sutton | 54 | 95.1% | 68 | 95.4% |
| Swindon | 57 | 79.4% | 47 | 88.6% |
| Tameside | 30 | 87.5% | 35 | 66.7% |
| Telford and Wrekin | 64 | 85.3% | 37 | 78.8% |
| Thurrock | 82 | 87.5% | 26 | 92.0% |
| Torbay | 28 | 94.7% | 74 | 81.2% |
| Tower Hamlets | 74 | 92.3% | 10 | 90.0% |
| Trafford | 64 | 87.8% | 56 | 86.3% |
| Unspecified | 1 | 100.0% | 0 | – |
| Wakefield | 82 | 87.9% | 96 | 73.9% |
| Walsall | 88 | 78.9% | 72 | 66.7% |
| Waltham Forest | 54 | 86.1% | 46 | 95.3% |
| Wandsworth | 40 | 100.0% | 26 | 92.3% |
| Warrington | 46 | 87.5% | 56 | 81.1% |
| Warwickshire | 140 | 83.5% | 172 | 80.8% |
| West Berkshire | 39 | 100.0% | 44 | 89.7% |
| Westminster | 24 | 100.0% | 9 | 100.0% |
| Westmorland and Furness | 48 | 93.1% | 59 | 88.9% |
| West Northamptonshire | 169 | 66.3% | 105 | 69.1% |
| West Sussex | 208 | 93.6% | 342 | 84.2% |
| Wigan | 45 | 93.5% | 59 | 92.2% |
| Wiltshire | 147 | 89.1% | 163 | 88.4% |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | 30 | 72.2% | 43 | 71.8% |
| Wirral | 49 | 89.2% | 112 | 70.6% |
| Wokingham | 49 | 90.9% | 45 | 93.0% |
| Wolverhampton | 135 | 71.4% | 74 | 65.7% |
| Worcestershire | 113 | 91.8% | 176 | 86.0% |
| York | 44 | 90.3% | 42 | 85.3% |
Questions about these figures
How many care homes are there in England?
There are 14,811 CQC-registered care homes in England (October 2026), of which 4,462 provide nursing care.
How many home care agencies are there in England?
There are 14,348 CQC-registered home care (domiciliary care) agencies in England (October 2026). 5,859 of them have not yet had a published CQC rating.
What percentage of care homes are rated Good or Outstanding?
82.6% of rated care homes in England are Good or Outstanding (October 2026), and 87.6% of rated home care agencies.
Which region has the highest-rated care homes?
North East has the highest share of care homes rated Good or Outstanding (91.8%) and West Midlands the lowest (77.7%). For home care agencies, North East is highest (94.8%).
How often are these figures updated?
Monthly. We take a snapshot of the CQC register on the first day of each month so the figures are stable for citation; previous months are listed under Method.
Method
We count every location on the Care Quality Commission register in England that is active and registered as a domiciliary care service (home care agencies) or a care home with or without nursing. NHS trust sites are excluded. "Rated" means CQC has published an overall rating; "Good or Outstanding" is the share of rated services. Inspection age uses the date of the latest published rating. Regions follow CQC's region field; council areas follow CQC's local authority field.
We take a snapshot on the first day of each month so that figures stay the same for the whole month and can be cited. Town and council pages on this site update more often, as CQC publishes new ratings.
Re-use: you may quote and re-use these figures with credit to The Care Panel and a link to this page. The CQC data is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Journalists: figures for any area are available from contact@thecarepanel.co.uk.
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.