Care Homes in Chesham
Chesham has 8 CQC registered care homes. 5 are rated Good, 1 Outstanding, 2 Requires improvement. 4 of the 8 were last inspected more than three years ago.
Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.
Chesham at a glance
What the local numbers say about care for older people in Chesham, to help you judge the options below.
- Buckinghamshire Council pays, residential care: £1,188 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,499 to £1,646, median £1,590
- Care home beds filled across Buckinghamshire: 84%. The 12 month average is 82%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 72
- People aged 75 and over: 58,900. Rising to 69,100 by 2035, up 17%
- Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 2 closed. 5 changed owner, covering 351 beds.
- Who pays, across Buckinghamshire (estimate): 32% council, 49% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 7,800. Rising to 9,800 by 2035, up 26%
- People aged 85 and over: 17,000. Rising to 24,800 by 2035, up 46%
Planned and recent building work within 5 miles
- Land Between Bank Mill Lane And London Road Berkhamsted Hertfordshire. Application for a 75 bed care home. Submitted 23 December 2025. Decision pending. (3.3 miles away)
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.
Arranging and Funding a Care Home Place in Chesham
Money is the question families tend to postpone, and then find themselves asking under pressure in a hospital corridor. Taking it in order helps a great deal. A care needs assessment comes first and establishes what support is required; a financial assessment follows and establishes who pays for it. Both can be requested before any home has been visited, and neither commits anyone to a decision they have not yet made.
The Care Needs Assessment
Buckinghamshire Council is the authority responsible for carrying out that assessment and for arranging funded support where a person is eligible. An assessor looks at daily routine, mobility, medicines, memory and risk, then records what level of support would meet those needs. The written outcome travels with the person and makes every later conversation with a home far more precise. A relative already providing care can request an assessment of their own needs alongside it, which is worth doing well before matters reach breaking point.
What the Weekly Fee Covers
A financial assessment takes account of savings, income and, for most permanent placements, the value of a property. Those above the threshold pay the fee the home quotes, while those below receive a contribution at a rate the council sets, and families sometimes add a top up to secure a particular room. Fees differ across the homes listed here and reflect room size, the level of care agreed and what is included beyond meals and accommodation. Ask what falls outside the weekly figure, since hairdressing, chiropody and outings are commonly billed separately, and ask what would happen if savings dropped below the threshold in a few years.
Choosing Between the Care Homes in Chesham
Making Use of the Ratings
Birchwood holds the Outstanding rating, a judgement the Care Quality Commission does not award lightly. Reach Vale Road Chesham, The Willow and Culwood House are among those rated Good, reached on findings about safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership. White Hill House Residential Care Home, Chesham Bois Manor and Portobello Place currently carry Requires Improvement ratings, and in each case the report names precisely what inspectors found, so the fair questions are what has changed since, who is managing the home now, and whether an action plan is being followed.
What to Look For in Person
Visit around a mealtime, when a home is busiest and least able to present a tidied version of itself. Listen to how staff speak to residents, look at whether people are occupied or simply waiting, and notice how long a call bell rings before someone answers. Ask how many permanent staff work a shift, how much agency cover is used across a typical week, and how long the manager has been in post. Where a home has been rated poorly, ask the manager directly what inspectors found and ask to see evidence of what has changed since. A home under new management can improve quickly, but the proof should be in front of you rather than merely promised.
8 care homes in Chesham
- Culwood House · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Good
- 69 Chartridge Lane · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Good
- Bois Manor · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Requires improvement
- The Willow · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Good
- White Hill House Residential Care Home · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Good
- Portobello Place · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Requires improvement
- Reach Vale Road · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Good
- Birchwood · Chesham, Buckinghamshire · CQC Outstanding
What care costs in Buckinghamshire, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care Middle half of prices from 11 Buckinghamshire homes. Median £1,590. | £1,188 | £1,499 to £1,646 |
| Nursing care South East figure, because too few Buckinghamshire homes publish this price. 63 homes. Median £1,933. | £1,209 | £1,617 to £2,080 |
| Residential dementia care South East figure, because too few Buckinghamshire homes publish this price. 82 homes. Median £1,709. | Not published separately | £1,571 to £1,942 |
| Nursing dementia care South East figure, because too few Buckinghamshire homes publish this price. 37 homes. Median £2,050. | Not published separately | £1,975 to £2,226 |
Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.
Inspected most recently
- White Hill House Residential Care Home, 14 September 2026, Good
- Birchwood, 27 February 2026, Outstanding
- The Willow, 20 January 2026, Good
Longest since a report
- Reach Vale Road Chesham, 21 December 2017, Good
- Chesham Bois Manor, 25 July 2018, Requires improvement
- Culwood House, 28 March 2019, Good
Frequently asked questions about care homes in Chesham
How many care homes are there in Chesham?
Chesham has 8 CQC registered care homes: 1 Outstanding, 5 Good, 2 Requires improvement. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.
How much does a care home cost in Chesham?
Buckinghamshire Council pays an average of £1,188 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,499 to £1,646 a week. Middle half of prices from 11 Buckinghamshire homes. Median £1,590. Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.
Which care homes in Chesham were inspected most recently?
White Hill House Residential Care Home (14 September 2026), Birchwood (27 February 2026) and The Willow (20 January 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.