Care homes

Information on how to move into a care home.

Scheduled maintenance:

Our online portal will be unavailable on the weekend of Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November. Please do not submit any referrals during this time.

You can contact us on 020 8726 6500.

The portal will be back online from Monday 24 November. 

Care homes offer a place to live for people who cannot look after themselves. Some care homes also offer respite care: short breaks for people who have been in hospital, or for people who have carers that need time off.

All homes have to be registered and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which keeps a directory of them on its website.

Search CQC’s directory for a care home in Croydon

Types of care home

There are 2 main types of care home:

  • residential homes offer a place to live with care and support
  • nursing homes offer 24-hour medical care from a qualified nurse

They may specialise in particular issues such as:

  • old age
  • dementia
  • mental illness
  • physical disability

How to move into a care home

Request support for an adult will take you through:

  • telling us about your situation and choosing the support you need
  • any costs that may come with the support, and how to pay them

When you request support, we will offer you the support that suits your needs best, not just the type you apply for. 

Start now

Living independently

If you can look after yourself at home but would like some support, you may be interested in options to help you stay at home, such as:

Home adaptations and occupational therapy

Home monitoring and personal alarms