Guides · Updated November 2026
Care guides
Plain-English guides to arranging care in England: what it costs, how to pay, how to choose a provider and what the council must do. Written from official guidance and the CQC register.
- All guides
- Alzheimer's & Dementia · 50
- Care homes · 124
- Reablement · 16
- Personal Care · 15
- Overnight Care · 11
- Cost & Funding · 146
- Regulation & Quality · 62
- Retirement living · 22
- Carer Support · 48
- Elderly Care · 99
- Live-in Care · 15
- Respite for Carers · 16
- London · 99
- End-of-Life & Palliative · 28
Alzheimer's & Dementia
Dementia care costs by region (2026): care homes and care at homeDementia care costs about £1,465 a week in a residential care home and £1,670 with nursing in England, from £1,225 in the North East…
Care homes
FNC rates 2026/27: NHS-funded nursing care rates by yearThe FNC rate for 2026/27 is £267.68 a week in England (higher rate £368.24), from 1 April 2026. Every rate since 2021/22, who qualifies…
Care homes
Can a care home ask a resident to leave?When a care home in England can give a resident notice to leave, the notice and process it must follow, and what families can…
Care homes
DoLS in care homes, explainedWhat the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) mean for people in care homes in England: when they apply, how they work, and families' rights.
Choosing Care
Lasting power of attorney or deputyship: which do you need?The difference between a lasting power of attorney and a Court of Protection deputyship in England: when each applies, costs and timings.
Care homes
Care home staffing levels: is there a legal minimum?Is there a legal minimum staff-to-resident ratio in care homes in England? What the law requires, what is typical, and what to ask a…
Care homes
How often does CQC inspect care homes?How often the Care Quality Commission inspects care homes and home care agencies in England, why many ratings are years old, and what triggers…
Care homes
What “Requires improvement” means for a care homeWhat a CQC rating of Requires improvement means for a care home or home care service, whether it is safe to choose one, and…
Regulation & Quality
How to read a CQC inspection report in 5 minutesA quick guide to reading a CQC inspection report for a care home or home care agency: what to read first and the warning…
Care homes
The largest care groups in England and how CQC rates themThe biggest care home and home care providers in England by number of services, and the share of each rated Good or Outstanding by…
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