Nursing Homes Near Me: How to Find Local Options and What to Consider

If you are looking for a nursing home near you, it is usually because care needs have reached a point where 24-hour nursing support is required. This may be following a hospital stay, a sudden change in health, or increasing medical needs that can no longer be safely managed at home.

Finding a nursing home can feel urgent and overwhelming, especially when decisions need to be made quickly. This guide is designed to help you understand what nursing homes provide, how to find regulated options in your local area, what costs to expect, and what alternatives may also be worth considering.

What is a nursing home?

A nursing home is a residential care setting that provides accommodation, personal care, and round-the-clock nursing care from registered nurses. Nursing homes are intended for people whose health needs require ongoing clinical support that cannot be safely provided through home care or residential care alone.

In a nursing home, staff are available at all times to provide:

• Nursing and medical care
• Support with medication and treatment
• Personal care and help with daily living

In the UK, nursing homes are regulated services and must meet strict standards for safety and quality of care.

When a nursing home may be needed

A nursing home may be considered when someone:

• Needs regular nursing or medical care, day and night
• Has complex health needs following illness or injury
• Is no longer safe at home, even with visiting care
• Requires ongoing monitoring or clinical support

For many families, the decision to look for a nursing home comes during a period of change, such as hospital discharge or a decline in health. Understanding how care needs assessments work can help clarify what level of care is required.

When a hospital discharge is approaching and ongoing nursing care is needed, families often have to make decisions quickly. The next step is to find safe, regulated nursing homes near you and understand which options are available locally. Using trusted sources can help you focus on suitable homes and avoid unnecessary delays at an already stressful time.

How to find nursing homes near you

If you are looking for nursing homes in your local area, it is best to use trusted, location-aware services rather than relying on adverts or search results alone.

NHS Care Services Directory

The NHS Care Services Directory allows you to search for registered nursing homes by location. It is a reliable starting point for identifying services near you.

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects nursing homes in England and publishes inspection reports and ratings. These reports help you understand how local nursing homes perform in areas such as safety, care quality, and leadership.

Local council adult social care teams

Your local council can provide information about nursing homes in your area, explain how assessments and funding work, and advise on next steps. Guidance on paying for care can also help families understand likely contributions.

Using these sources together helps build a clearer and more accurate picture of local options.

Cost comparison overview

What to check when choosing a nursing home

When comparing nursing homes near you, it can help to consider:

• Whether the home provides nursing care, not just residential care
• Recent CQC inspection ratings and reports
• Staffing levels and access to registered nurses
• Experience supporting specific conditions, such as dementia
• Visiting arrangements and communication with families
• Weekly costs and what is included

If the person needing care has memory loss, guidance on dementia care may also be helpful when assessing suitability.

How much do nursing homes cost in the UK?

Nursing home costs vary depending on location, the level of nursing support required, and whether care is privately funded or arranged with help from the local authority.

Typical nursing home costs

Based on the latest UK data:

• £1,000 to £2,000 per week is the typical range for nursing home care
• The UK average for privately funded nursing home care is around £1,500 per week
• This is equivalent to £75,000 to £80,000 per year for someone paying the full cost

Regional differences

Where you live has a significant impact on cost:

• London and the South East: often £1,750 to £1,900+ per week
• Midlands and East of England: around £1,400 to £1,650 per week
• North of England: often £1,300 to £1,450 per week

Homes offering specialist dementia or complex nursing care may charge more.

Council funding and NHS contributions

Some people receive help with costs through:

• Local authority funding, following a financial assessment
• NHS-funded nursing care, which in England currently contributes £254.06 per week towards the nursing element of care for eligible residents

Further detail is available in guidance on NHS Continuing Healthcare.

Are nursing homes the only option?

A nursing home is not the only care option available. Some people may be able to receive the support they need in other ways, depending on their health, preferences, and circumstances.

Alternatives can include:

• Residential care homes without nursing
• Home care with regular visits
• Live-in care, where a trained carer lives in the home and provides ongoing support

Exploring all options can help ensure the chosen care solution fits both current and future needs.

A real family experience: moving from institutional care to care at home

For some families, a nursing home feels like the only option during a care crisis. For others, it becomes clear over time that it is not the right long-term solution.

From hospital discharge to live-in care at home

After Penny’s mother was discharged from hospital following a stroke, and with her father living with dementia, the family needed reliable, ongoing support. Caring for both parents had become overwhelming, and the possibility of a nursing home was raised during discharge planning.

Penny explored alternatives and arranged live-in care so her parents could remain together at home. With a dedicated carer providing one-to-one support, they were able to receive help with daily living and reassurance in familiar surroundings.

You can read more about Penny’s experience in the story about moving from hospital to live-in care.

Choosing care at home instead of a care home

In another situation, David faced an urgent hospital discharge for a loved one who was anxious about moving into a care home.

By arranging live-in care at home, David ensured his loved one had consistent, round-the-clock support from a dedicated carer. This helped her settle back into her routine and avoid a move into institutional care.

David’s experience is shared in the story about staying at home with 24-hour support.

These experiences show that, even when a nursing home is being considered, other care options may still be available depending on needs, preferences, and circumstances.

Nursing homes vs live-in care vs domiciliary care

The cost of care depends on how much support is needed, how often care is required, and where it is provided. For people who need regular or ongoing support, different care options can vary significantly in both cost and value.

How the costs compare in practice

• Nursing homes charge a weekly fee that covers accommodation, care, and nursing support. Costs often rise for specialist or dementia care.
• Live-in care is usually charged at a fixed weekly rate. For people needing frequent help, overnight support, or supervision, this can be as cost-effective as a nursing home, as costs do not increase with each additional hour of care.
• Domiciliary care can appear cheaper initially, but costs can rise quickly if multiple daily visits are required, sometimes exceeding the cost of live-in care.

Key cost takeaway

For people who need ongoing or intensive care, live-in care can offer comparable support at a similar or lower weekly cost than a nursing home, while allowing them to remain in their own home.

Next steps

If you are looking for a nursing home near you, it can help to:

• Use trusted directories to identify regulated local services
• Speak with your local council about assessments and funding
• Consider whether care at home could be a suitable alternative

Taking time to understand your options can help you make a decision that feels right for you or your loved one.

Key points to remember

• Nursing home costs typically range from £1,000 to £2,000 per week
• Live-in care can be similarly priced or more cost-effective for people needing frequent support
• Domiciliary care costs increase as visit frequency rises
• Nursing homes are not the only care option