Moving into a care home

There are many types of care homes that provide for different needs.

Some care homes offer short-term places, for people recovering from a hospital stay or to give someone a break from their caring role (called respite care).

Types of care home

  • residential homes –  these offer care and support
  • nursing homes – these normally offer the same care as residential homes but also have 24-hour medical care from a qualified nurse

Find a care home

There are over 140 care homes in Croydon run by a variety of organisations, including private companies, voluntary organisations and others under contract from Croydon council. All homes have to be registered and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which inspects and rates them.

Search for a care home on the Care Quality Commission website.

The CQC has 4 categories of care homes:

  • old age – for people who have physical illnesses more common in old age
  • dementia (also known as EMI - elderly mentally infirm) – for people who have a dementia related illness
  • mental illness – for people who have a mental illness other than dementia
  • physical disability – for people who have a medical condition that affects them physically

Paying for your care home

If you have less than £23,250 in savings, you may get some or all of your adult social care costs covered. A financial assessment will determine any financial support you are eligible for.

Once your care and support assessment is complete, you or someone acting on your behalf must complete a financial assessment so we can work out how much, if anything, you will have to pay.