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Types of care

The label matters, because it decides who regulates the service, what it costs, and which funding you can use. Counts come from the CQC register.

Where care happens

Home care

13,616 registered services

Carers visit you at home to help with personal care, medication, meals and daily tasks. CQC registers these as domiciliary care services.

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Residential care home

10,454 registered services

A care home providing accommodation and personal care, without nursing on site.

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Nursing home

4,499 registered services

A care home with qualified nurses on site, for people with medical needs alongside personal care.

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Supported living

4,705 registered services

You hold your own tenancy and receive support to live independently. Common for adults with a learning disability or autistic adults.

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Extra care housing

736 registered services

Self-contained homes with care available on site, sitting between home care and a care home.

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Shared Lives

162 registered services

An approved Shared Lives carer supports someone in the carer’s own family home, either long term or as day support.

Guide coming soon

Nurses agency

102 registered services

An agency supplying registered nurses for care at home or in other settings.

Guide coming soon

Hospice at home

24 registered services

Palliative and end of life care delivered in the person’s own home.

Guide coming soon

Hospice

270 registered services

Inpatient palliative and end of life care.

Guide coming soon

Community learning disability service

167 registered services

Community based support for people with a learning disability or autistic people.

Guide coming soon

Community mental health service

309 registered services

Community based support for people with mental health needs.

Guide coming soon

Substance misuse service

226 registered services

Community based support for people who misuse drugs or alcohol.

Guide coming soon

Rehabilitation service

808 registered services

Support to regain independence, often after a hospital stay, injury or stroke.

Guide coming soon

Long term conditions service

303 registered services

Ongoing support for people managing a long term health condition.

Guide coming soon

Specialist college

36 registered services

A residential or day college for young people with additional needs.

Guide coming soon

Who care is for

CQC records the groups each service is registered to support. These are registration categories, not a promise that a service has current availability.

Older people 25,353 Younger adults 23,301 Dementia care 19,705 Learning disability and autism 13,417 Mental health 13,491 Physical disability 18,544 Sensory impairment 12,798 Children and young people 3,600 Eating disorders 1,965 Drug and alcohol support 2,403 Detained under the Mental Health Act 629

Source: Care Quality Commission, 01 July 2026.