Home care · Dorset
Dementia care at home in St Leonards
61 out of 75 home care agencies covering St Leonards are registered for dementia care, run by 58 different providers. The largest is Agincare UK Limited, with 2. CQC has rated 50 of them, and 100% are Good or Outstanding, next to 88% for dementia care across England; 2 are Outstanding. We estimate typical fees here at about £33.50 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 12 home care agencies have a rating more than four years old and 6 registered with CQC within the past two years. On 16 October 2026, Your Life (Ferndown) was rated Good, the newest rating here.
Updated 27 October 2026 from the CQC register (Open Government Licence)
In short
- Whatever your savings, Dorset council will assess care needs for free.
- We check for new CQC ratings in Dorset daily: see the latest changes.
- Among the 50 rated agencies, 50 hold a Good or Outstanding rating; 11 are still waiting for a first rating.
To cite: "Dementia care at home in St Leonards", The Care Panel, Oct 2026, from CQC register analysis.
- 61agencies on the CQC register
- 100%of those rated are Good or Outstanding
- 26with a rating or inspection since October 2024
Dementia care in St Leonards: providers ranked
Order: CQC rating first, then how recent that rating is, then distance. Our ranking method
- All 75
- Elderly care · 70
- Care for adults under 65 · 66
- Physical disability care · 65
- Dementia care · 61
- Sensory impairment care · 50
- Learning disability care · 42
- Mental health care · 39
- Children's care · 15
- Eating disorder support · 13
- Supported living · 13
- Substance misuse support · 12
All agencies covering St Leonards with a CQC registration for dementia care. Order: rating, then how recent it is, with distance from the centre used last.
Dementia care in St Leonards by the numbers
81% of St Leonards's agencies (61 of 75) hold a CQC registration for dementia care. Their Good or Outstanding share is 100%, 3 points above the town-wide 97% and above the 88% for dementia care across England.
The highest rated agencies for dementia care are Your Life (Ferndown), Helping Hands Ferndown and The Pines Home Care. Ratings run from October 2017 to October 2026, and 26 are from the last two years. 1 has an office within 2 miles of St Leonards centre. Not yet rated: 11. That is usual for services registered recently.
Council-wide, 69 agencies in Dorset list dementia care, and 100% of those with a rating are Good or Outstanding. Across Dorset, 79% of agencies are registered for dementia care, against 81% here.
Visiting home care in the South West typically costs about £33.50 an hour on weekdays (more at evenings and weekends); live-in care is around £1,610 a week. Our cost method.
What to expect from dementia care
Dementia care is support from staff trained to help people living with dementia: keeping routines familiar, helping with eating and drinking, managing distress without relying on medication, and keeping people safe without taking away their independence. Providers register "dementia" as a specialism with CQC when they support people with it.
What to ask about dementia care
- What do you do when someone is distressed, or wants to leave?
- How do you help with eating and drinking when appetite drops?
- What happens if dementia becomes more advanced?
- How do you avoid using medication to manage behaviour?
- How do you get to know the person (life story, routines, likes and dislikes)?
Free advice: Alzheimer's Society Dementia Support Line, 0333 150 3456. Dementia care across Dorset. Glossary entry: Dementia care.
Where else nearby offers dementia care
| Nearby town | Distance | Total | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Leonards | – | 61 | 50 |
| Ferndown | 2.7 mi | 114 | 88 |
| Ringwood | 3.1 mi | 25 | 22 |
| Verwood | 3.5 mi | 23 | 20 |
| Wimborne Minster | 5.9 mi | 86 | 70 |
| Bournemouth | 6.1 mi | 120 | 91 |
| Christchurch | 7.2 mi | 73 | 52 |
Your council
Dorset
A care needs assessment from Dorset council is free whatever your savings. With savings below £23,250, the council may help pay.
Asking Dorset for an assessment, and how payment and direct payments work
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Free care cost report for St Leonards
- Typical local prices for home care, overnight and live-in care
- What the council and the NHS may pay, with the 2026/27 savings limits
- The best-rated services near you, from the CQC register
Dementia care in St Leonards: your questions answered
Who offers dementia care at home in St Leonards?
Of the 75 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of St Leonards, 61 list dementia care as a specialism (Oct 2026). Well-rated choices include Your Life (Ferndown), Helping Hands Ferndown and The Pines Home Care.
How are home care agencies in St Leonards rated by CQC?
CQC has rated 50. Of those, 50 (100%) are Good or Outstanding, 2 of them Outstanding. 11 have not been rated yet, which is common for newly registered services.
How much should I expect to pay for home care in St Leonards?
Typical prices across England in 2026: visiting care around £32–£34 an hour; live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. Agencies differ more than regions do on hourly rates, so request a complete tariff from each one, covering weekends and bank holidays too. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care in England at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. See our full cost guide.
Can Dorset council help pay for home care?
Two sources of help: Attendance Allowance, which ignores savings and is for people over State Pension age, and the council. By law (Care Act 2014) Dorset council must assess care needs at no charge for people who look as if they need support; if savings and investments are under £23,250, it may pay a share once your finances are assessed, depending on income. With care at home, the house itself is not included. How to reach Dorset council.
How can I pick between agencies in St Leonards?
Check how recent each CQC report is first: 26 of the 61 on this page were inspected or rated in the past two years, and 24 have an older report. Next ask three things: will staff be consistent, what happens about missed visits, and what is the full price? See the checklist.
What about dementia care in towns near St Leonards?
St Leonards has 61, with 50 rated Good or Outstanding. Nearby: Ferndown (2.7 miles): 114, 88 rated Good or Outstanding; Ringwood (3.1 miles): 25, 22 rated Good or Outstanding; Verwood (3.5 miles): 23, 20 rated Good or Outstanding.
Busy? Let us pass your request to providers.
Describe what's needed in one form. We send it to as many as three St Leonards providers who accept enquiries via The Care Panel, and they email you back.
Dementia care near St Leonards
- Dementia care in Ferndown 2.7 mi
- Dementia care in Ringwood 3.1 mi
- Dementia care in Verwood 3.5 mi
- Dementia care in Wimborne Minster 5.9 mi
- Dementia care in Bournemouth 6.1 mi
- Dementia care in Christchurch 7.2 mi
- Dementia care in Poole 8.3 mi
- Dementia care in Corfe Mullen 8.5 mi
Other help in St Leonards
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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.