The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects and rates every registered care home in England as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement or Inadequate, across five key questions: is it safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. It’s the best free starting filter — but it isn’t the whole story.
Read the full report, not just the headline rating
A home can carry an overall Good rating but a weaker score on one of the five questions. Read the detail behind the rating, and check how recent the inspection is.
What the rating doesn’t capture
Culture, staff turnover, how call bells are answered on a Sunday night, and whether staff know each resident by name. Visit in person, ideally unannounced, and at a busy time like late morning or dinner.
A short comparison checklist
CQC rating and the date of the last inspection; distance from family; whether they accept local-authority funding; the level of care offered (residential, nursing, dementia); and current bed availability.
Ready-to-send message
Hello,
we’re comparing care homes for a relative and would like to visit.
Could we arrange a tour, and could you share your current staffing levels and latest CQC report?
Do you have a place available now, and do you accept local-authority-funded residents?
Thank you,
[Name]
[Phone]
How to use this guide in practice
Don’t read this as general information — use it as a worksheet. Write down the details of the person who needs care, the current limits of the situation at home, the monthly budget, the documents you already have, whether a local-authority financial assessment may apply, and who you’ve already spoken with. Then turn every unclear point into a specific question. A family that arrives with a clear picture usually gets more useful answers than one calling under stress with scattered information.
Keep one simple rule: anything about admission, cost, funding, timelines and whether a care home fits must be confirmed directly with the care home or the competent authority serving your area. This guide prepares the search — it does not replace official decisions.
Want a clear shortlist before you start calling?
If you don’t know which care homes to contact first, Curalune Care Help can prepare an ordered shortlist of 3–5 suitable options — with CQC ratings, contacts, useful links and a ready-to-send inquiry.
The service helps you organise the search. It does not replace the care home’s own assessment and does not guarantee admission, price or bed availability.
Important limit
Curalune offers practical help with the search and orientation. Admission, pricing, bed availability and the final assessment always rest with the care homes and the competent authorities (the local authority, the NHS, the Care Quality Commission).