Care Home Statistics: Residential, Nursing, Dementia and Respite Care in the UK

Care homes are an important part of later-life support. They help older people live safely, stay active, receive day-to-day support, and access the right level of care if their needs change.

To help families, professionals and readers understand the care sector more clearly, we have brought together some of the latest care home statistics from trusted sources.

These figures cover care home occupancy, residential care, nursing care, dementia care, respite care, visiting, digital care records and later-life support. Together, they show the important role care homes play in supporting older people, families and the wider health and social care system.

2026 Care Home Statistics

• In August 2026, 86.8% of total care home beds in England were occupied. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• In August 2026, 10.2% of care home beds were vacant and admittable, while 3.0% were vacant but non-admittable. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• There were 355,809 residents in the 91.9% of total care home providers that responded to Capacity Tracker in August 2026. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• In August 2026, 99.0% of care homes in England were able to accommodate residents receiving visitors. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• As of June 2026, 83.6% of CQC-registered adult social care provider locations in England were estimated to have a digital social care record. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Lottie’s internal user data found that the most common age range for people moving into a care home was 85 to 94, making up 44% of residents in its dataset. (Lottie).

Care Home Occupancy and Availability Statistics

Availability can vary by location, care type and individual needs. A room may be available, but a care home still needs to make sure it can safely and comfortably support the person moving in.

• As of the week ending 14 August 2026, 86.8% of total care home beds in England were occupied. A further 10.2% were vacant and admittable, while 3.0% were vacant but non-admittable. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Care home occupancy remained relatively stable over the 12 months to August 2026. The occupied-bed rate increased from 86.2% in June 2026 to 86.8% in August 2026. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• There was regional variation in care home occupancy in August 2026. Occupied beds ranged from 82.9% in the East Midlands to 90.9% in London. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Vacant and admittable care home beds also varied by region, from 6.9% in London to 13.4% in the East Midlands. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• In August 2026, 86.5% of non-specialist residential beds, 87.4% of non-specialist nursing beds and 86.9% of specialist and other beds were occupied in England. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Non-specialist residential beds had a slightly higher vacant and admittable rate than nursing beds in August 2026, at 10.6% compared with 9.7%. (Department of Health and Social Care).

Care Home Resident Statistics

Care homes support people with a wide range of needs, from daily personal care to nursing, dementia and respite support.

• As of the week ending 14 August 2026, there were 355,809 residents in the 91.9% of total care home providers that responded to Capacity Tracker. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Of these, 331,055 residents were in older-adult care home providers, while 24,754 residents were in younger-adult care home providers. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• In July 2025, there were 350,077 residents in the 91.6% of total care home providers that responded to the data collection. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• In August 2026, there were also 489,732 people receiving CQC-regulated domiciliary care in the 81.2% of domiciliary care providers that responded. (Department of Health and Social Care).

Residential Care and Nursing Care Statistics UK

Residential care and nursing care both support older people, but they meet different levels of need. Residential care usually supports daily living, while nursing care supports people with more complex health needs.

Residential care homes provide accommodation and help with personal care, such as washing, dressing and taking medicines. Nursing homes provide nursing care for people with more complex needs, with a registered nurse on duty. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).

• In August 2026, non-specialist nursing beds had an occupancy rate of 87.4%, slightly higher than non-specialist residential beds at 86.5%. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Non-specialist nursing beds had a lower vacant and admittable rate than residential beds in August 2026, at 9.7% compared with 10.6%. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• Lottie’s internal data suggests people with significant care needs may enter care homes earlier. In its dataset, 17% of people requiring nursing care entered a care home between the ages of 65 and 74, compared with 13% of people requiring residential care. (Lottie).
• Skills for Care reported that care homes without nursing in England had an estimated 320,000 filled posts in 2024/25. (Skills for Care).
• Care homes without nursing had an estimated 13,000 vacant posts in 2024/25, making around 330,000 total posts across the local authority and independent sectors. (Skills for Care).
• The turnover rate among staff in CQC-regulated care homes without nursing was 22.3% in 2024/25. This was lower than the turnover rate for care homes with nursing. (Skills for Care).
• The vacancy rate in CQC-regulated care homes without nursing fell to 4.3% in 2024/25, after peaking at 7.6% in 2021/22. (Skills for Care).
• In 2024/25, CQC-regulated care homes with nursing had around 290,000 filled posts. (Skills for Care).
• Registered nurses accounted for 35,000 filled posts across the adult social care sector in 2024/25. Most of these, around 33,000 posts, were in independent-sector care homes with nursing. (Skills for Care).
• Registered nurse filled posts increased by 5.7%, or 1,900 posts, between 2023/24 and 2024/25. (Skills for Care).
• There were 2,100 registered nurse vacant posts in 2024/25. (Skills for Care).
• Registered nurses in CQC care homes with nursing had a turnover rate of 33.2%, equivalent to around 9,200 leavers. (Skills for Care).

Care Home Admission Statistics and Trends

Care home admissions can happen for many reasons. Some families plan ahead, while others start exploring care after a change in health, mobility, confidence or support needs.

• • In 2024/25, the rate of admissions to care homes for older adults was 593 per 100,000 people. This data is not directly comparable with previous years because of significant methodology changes. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
  • For younger adults aged 18 to 64, the care home admissions rate was 17 per 100,000 people in 2024/25. This is also not directly comparable with previous years because of data-collection changes. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
  • The overall number of council-supported admissions of adults to care homes has decreased over time, alongside a net reduction in available beds. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).

Care Home Bed Availability Statistics

Care home availability changes over time. These figures help show why planning ahead and speaking to care teams early can be useful for families.

• Between 2012 and 2025, the total number of residential and nursing care home beds for older people in England declined from 11.3 beds per 100 people aged 75 and over to 8.3 beds per 100 people aged 75 and over. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
• This represents a 26% decrease in care home beds per 100 people aged 75 and over between 2012 and 2025. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
• Nursing home beds also declined over the same period, from 5.2 nursing home beds per 100 people aged 75 and over in 2012 to 4.0 in 2025. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
• This represents a 23% decrease in nursing home beds per 100 people aged 75 and over between 2012 and 2025. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).

Dementia Care Statistics UK

Dementia care is an important part of later-life support. Families often begin exploring care when someone needs more routine, reassurance, supervision or specialist support.

• Lottie’s internal user data found that dementia-related care was the most searched-for care type among its users. When dementia care and nursing dementia care were combined, 42% of people looking for a care home had dementia-related care needs. (Lottie).
• Lottie reported that 33% of care home searches in its data were for dementia care, while 9% were for nursing dementia care. (Lottie).
• In Lottie’s data, people living with dementia were most likely to enter a care home between the ages of 75 and 94. (Lottie).
• A QualityWatch report noted that it had been reported that 80% of people living in care homes have dementia or significant memory problems. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• Alzheimer’s Society states that people living with dementia make up around 70% of residents of older-age residential care in England. (Alzheimer’s Society).
• Alzheimer’s Society also states that people living with dementia make up around 60% of people who draw on care at home in the UK. (Alzheimer’s Society).
• Alzheimer’s Society reports that only 29% of the care workforce in England have had any kind of dementia training. (Alzheimer’s Society).
• Alzheimer’s Society estimates that dementia costs the UK £42 billion per year. (Alzheimer’s Society).
• Alzheimer’s Society reported that residential care for someone living with dementia costs an average of £800 per week, paid by the local authority and/or families. (Alzheimer’s Society).
• Alzheimer’s Society reported that nursing care for someone living with dementia costs an average of £1,078 per week, paid by the local authority and/or families. (Alzheimer’s Society).
• Alzheimer’s Society states that rolling out WHELD dementia training in care homes could save a net £29.4 million per year from reduced emergency hospital admissions and GP appointments alone. (Alzheimer’s Society).

Average Age to Go Into a Care Home

People move into care homes at different ages, depending on their health, independence, family support and care needs.

• Lottie’s internal data found that the most common age range for people moving into a care home was 85 to 94, making up 44% of residents in its dataset. (Lottie).
• The next most common age range was 75 to 84, accounting for 35% of people moving into care homes in Lottie’s dataset. (Lottie).
• Lottie’s data found that 13% of people moving into a care home were aged 65 to 74, while 8% were aged 95 or older. (Lottie).
• Permanent care was most common among people aged 85 to 94, with 77% of this age group looking for permanent care in Lottie’s data. (Lottie).

Respite Care Statistics UK

Respite care can give families short-term support. It may help after a change in health, during recovery, while a carer takes a break, or when someone wants to experience care before making a longer-term decision.

• Lottie’s internal data found that around 75% of people were looking for permanent care, compared with around 25% looking for short-term respite care. (Lottie).
• Respite care was most common among those aged 65 to 74 and 75 to 84 in Lottie’s data, with 27% and 26% respectively looking for respite care. (Lottie).
• Lottie reported that increasing numbers of people are using respite care to trial care before moving into a home permanently, while others use it when carers need a break or holiday. (Lottie).
• Carers UK’s State of Caring 2024 survey found that 57% of respondents said they feel overwhelmed “often” or “always”. (Carers UK).
• Among unpaid carers who felt overwhelmed, 65% said this was because they were not able to take time away from their caring role. (Carers UK).
• Carers UK reported that only 23% of carers providing substantial care had completed a Carer’s Assessment in the previous 12 months. (Carers UK).
• Of carers who had completed a Carer’s Assessment, 42% said their local authority had not supported them afterwards. (Carers UK).
• Carers UK estimates that unpaid carers provide care worth £184 billion to the economy each year. (Carers UK).

How Long Does it Take to Move Into a Care Home?

Finding the right care home can take time. Families often need to compare homes, arrange visits, understand care needs and complete an assessment before a move takes place.

• Lottie’s 2024 Care Seeker Survey found that finding the right care home now takes five weeks, which it says is 30% longer than in 2021. (Lottie).
• People visit an average of 3.5 homes before making a final decision. (Lottie).
• Lottie found that it takes an additional two weeks on average to move in after choosing a care home, bringing the total average journey to seven weeks. (Lottie).
• Lottie also reported that 49% of care seekers wanted to move into a care home as soon as possible, while 32% were looking within one to three months. (Lottie).

Trends When Looking for a Care Home

Care home searches are often led by relatives. This shows how important it is for care websites to answer family questions clearly and compassionately.

• Lottie’s internal data found that 56% of care seekers were looking for care on behalf of a parent. (Lottie).
• A further 28% were looking on behalf of another family member, meaning 84% of care seekers were searching on behalf of a family member. (Lottie).
• Only 13% of care seekers were searching for themselves, while 3% were searching on behalf of a friend. (Lottie).
• Lottie found that 49% of care seekers wanted to move into a care home as soon as possible, while 32% were looking within one to three months. (Lottie).

Care Home Visit Statistics

Visits from family and friends can play an important role in wellbeing, connection and everyday life in a care home.

• As of the week ending 14 August 2026, 99.0% of care homes in England were able to accommodate residents receiving visitors. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• The proportion of care homes able to accommodate visits remained stable between 99.0% and 99.5% over the 12 months to August 2026. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• In August 2026, the proportion of care homes able to accommodate visits ranged from 98.5% in the East Midlands to 99.3% in the South East. (Department of Health and Social Care).

Care Homes and Healthcare Statistics

Many care home residents have changing health conditions. Good care planning, regular reviews and joined-up support with healthcare professionals can help people receive care in the right setting.

• A QualityWatch report found that care home residents had 40% to 50% more emergency admissions and A&E attendances than the general population aged 75 and over. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• The same report found that care home residents had significantly fewer elective admissions and outpatient appointments, at around half the number seen in the wider population aged 75 and over. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• Emergency admissions from care home postcodes accounted for 13.4% of all emergency admissions among people aged 75 and over in the QualityWatch analysis. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• QualityWatch identified 195,974 emergency admissions for people aged 75 and over across postcode areas containing a care home for older people. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• Areas containing care homes had a crude national rate of 0.52 emergency admissions per bed. Postcodes containing care homes offering nursing services had a lower crude emergency admission rate, at 0.45 admissions per bed, compared with 0.59 admissions per bed for homes offering only residential services. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• NHS England states that care home residents account for 185,000 emergency admissions each year and 1.46 million emergency bed days. (NHS England).
• NHS England also states that 35% to 40% of emergency admissions for care home residents may be potentially avoidable. (NHS England).

What Health Conditions are Most Commonly Supported in Care Homes

Care homes support people with a wide range of health and wellbeing needs. Some residents need help with mobility, medication, nutrition, dementia support, recovery after illness or ongoing nursing care.

• QualityWatch found that some conditions were more common among patients admitted from care home postcodes than among the general population aged 75 and over. These included pneumonia, pneumonitis, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and epilepsy. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• Admissions from care home postcodes accounted for 33.3% of emergency admissions for Alzheimer’s disease among people aged 75 and over in the QualityWatch analysis. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• Admissions from care home postcodes accounted for 32.2% of emergency admissions for epilepsy and 31.6% of emergency admissions for other convulsions among people aged 75 and over. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).
• The QualityWatch report also highlighted issues such as acute confusion, dehydration, sepsis, pneumonia and falls as areas linked with emergency hospital admissions from care homes. (QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation).

Palliative and Later-Life in Care Homes Trends

Care homes can also support people with comfort, dignity and familiar surroundings later in life. This support often involves families, GPs, nurses and community healthcare teams.

• Nuffield Trust reported that 20.5% of people in England and Wales died in a care home in 2023. (Nuffield Trust).
• Nuffield Trust analysis found that by August 2023, over 90% of people who died in a care home had seen a GP or member of the primary care team in the last month of life. (Nuffield Trust).
• This represented a 44% increase since August 2019. (Nuffield Trust).
• Between August 2019 and August 2023, Nuffield Trust found a 16% reduction in the proportion of people who died in care homes and visited A&E in the last month of life. (Nuffield Trust).
• Over the same period, there was a 22% reduction in the proportion of people who died in care homes and were admitted as an emergency in their last month of life. (Nuffield Trust).

Digital Care Record Statistics

Digital social care records help care teams record information more clearly and support joined-up care.

• As of June 2026, 83.6% of CQC-registered adult social care provider locations in England were estimated to have a digital social care record. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• This was an increase from 79.3% in June 2025. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• As of June 2026, 91.9% of people cared for by CQC-registered adult social care providers in England were estimated to have a digital social care record. (Department of Health and Social Care).
• This was an increase from 88.3% in June 2025. (Department of Health and Social Care).

Care Home Staff Trends

Staffing is an important part of care quality, continuity and daily support.

• Skills for Care reported that the adult social care sector in England had 1.6 million filled posts in 2024/25. (Skills for Care).
• Skills for Care reported that the adult social care sector had 111,000 vacant posts in 2024/25. (Skills for Care).
• Skills for Care projects that the sector may need around 470,000 new posts by 2040 to keep up with the projected growth in the population aged 65 and over. (Skills for Care).

Why Do Families Begin Exploring Care?

Families may start exploring care when someone needs more support with daily routines, health, confidence or companionship.

• Lottie lists several common reasons why someone may move into a care home. These include difficulty managing household chores, personal care needs, reduced safety at home, mobility problems, medication support needs, complex medical needs, dementia symptoms, loneliness and recommendations following a care needs assessment. (Lottie).
• Autumna identifies several common routes into nursing care. These include moving directly from hospital, moving from residential care after needs increase, moving after a Discharge to Assess pathway, moving after receiving care at home, or moving because a partner or unpaid carer can no longer provide support. (Autumna).
• Lottie’s data found that 49% of care seekers wanted to move into a care home as soon as possible, while 32% were looking within one to three months. (Lottie).

Care Homes and the Ageing Population

As the population ages, care homes will continue to play an important role in later-life support.

• In the year to mid-2024, there was a 1.8% increase in individuals aged 65 and over in England. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
• It is estimated that by 2050, around one in four people will be aged 65 and over. (Nuffield Trust / Health Foundation QualityWatch).
• NHS England material states that one in seven people aged 85 or over permanently live in a care home. (NHS England).
• NHS England also states that care home residents account for 185,000 emergency admissions each year and 1.46 million emergency bed days. (NHS England).

What These Care Home Statistics Mean for Families

Care home statistics help us understand later-life care more clearly. They show how care homes support people with different needs, from day-to-day residential care to nursing care, dementia care, respite stays and palliative support.

For families, the figures highlight the value of planning ahead. Choosing care is not only about finding an available room. It is about finding a home that can support someone’s needs, routines, preferences and wellbeing.

The data also shows why clear communication matters. Families need to understand the care options available, what happens during an assessment and how a home can support changing needs over time.

Every person’s situation is different, but good information can help families feel more prepared, more confident and more supported when making care decisions.

Need Help Understanding Your Care Options?

Finding the right care starts with a conversation.

Whether you are planning ahead or need support sooner, our team can talk you through the care options available and help you understand what may be right for your family.

Explore our care homes, arrange a viewing or contact Tanglewood Care Services to speak to our team.

Sources

This article uses statistics and information from:

• Department of Health and Social Care, Adult social care provider statistics, England: quarterly update to August 2026.
• Department of Health and Social Care, Adult social care in England, monthly statistics: August 2025.
• Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation, QualityWatch care home bed availability and admissions data.
• QualityWatch / Nuffield Trust and Health Foundation, Focus on: Hospital admissions from care homes.
• Nuffield Trust, What end of life care do people who die in a care home receive, and how has this changed over time?.
• Lottie, Average Age To Go Into a Care Home.
• Autumna, Reasons for Admission to a Nursing Home in the UK.
• Skills for Care, Summary of care home services without nursing 2025.
• Skills for Care, Summary of care homes with nursing 2025.
• Skills for Care, What our latest data tells us about social care nursing.
• Skills for Care, The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England, 2025.
• Alzheimer’s Society, Why dementia training for care workers matters and how to deliver it.
• Alzheimer’s Society, Angela Rippon CBE backs charity’s call to make dementia training mandatory.
• Carers UK, State of Caring: The impact of caring on carers’ mental health and the need for support from social care services.
• Carers UK, Unpaid carers feeling overwhelmed, with over half saying they need more support from councils to take a break.
• Lottie, The Lottie Care Index: Care Homes.
• Lottie, The Lottie Care Index: Care Homes Q2 2026.
• Lottie, The Care Access Gap 2026.
• Nuffield Trust, What end of life care do people who die in a care home receive, and how has this changed over time?.
• Nuffield Trust, Care home bed availability.
• Nuffield Trust / QualityWatch, Focus on: Hospital admissions from care homes.
• Office for National Statistics, Care homes and estimating the self-funding population, England: 2022 to 2023.
• NHS England, Integrated health and care in action: older people’s care.