Which homes are included in this County Durham listing?

This page brings together eighty seven residential care homes registered with the Care Quality Commission to operate in County Durham. Each provides accommodation with personal care, meaning support with washing, dressing, meals and medication, and staff on site day and night. The list runs from larger purpose built homes to smaller houses supporting a handful of residents, including providers such as Castle Bank Care Home, Mowbray House, Redwell Hills and Grampian Court. Every entry shows the current rating and links through to the published inspection report.

What should I ask on a visit to a care home in County Durham?

Ask how many care staff are on duty during the day and overnight, how long the registered manager has been in post, and how far the rota depends on agency cover. Ask to see a recent activity plan and a week of menus, then find out what happens when a resident wants a lie in or turns down a meal. Request the weekly fee in writing with a clear list of anything charged separately, the notice period and the policy on annual increases. It is also worth asking how the home contacts families when something changes and how it handles a complaint.

How does a residential care home differ from a nursing home?

A residential care home supports people with the everyday tasks of daily life and keeps care staff on site around the clock, without registered nurses based on the premises. A nursing home offers that same support plus clinical care from nurses on site, which suits people with complex medication regimes, wounds or conditions requiring regular clinical oversight. Every home on this County Durham page is registered for residential care rather than nursing. Where nursing needs seem likely to develop, ask whether community nurses can visit or whether a further move would eventually be needed.

Can Durham County Council pay towards a care home place?

It may, provided the person meets both the care eligibility criteria and the financial test that follows. Durham County Council carries out a financial assessment looking at income, savings and other capital, and uses it to work out how much the person contributes. Those with capital above the national threshold are generally expected to fund the placement themselves, though they can still ask for an assessment and for advice on choosing a home. Where the council contributes, it agrees a personal budget intended to cover the needs it has assessed.

How is a care needs assessment arranged in County Durham?

Contact the adult social care team at Durham County Council and ask for a care needs assessment. Anyone who appears to need care and support has a right to one whatever their income, and a relative can make the request with the person's consent. The assessment covers washing, dressing, medication, mobility and overnight safety, and ends in a written record of the support required. If the person is currently in hospital, the ward can refer directly to the council, which usually brings the assessment forward.

How early should a family start looking?

Sooner than most people manage, because the homes that suit best often hold waiting lists and rarely have a room free the week you ring. Beginning while the present arrangement still works leaves time to visit more than once, compare inspection reports and talk to relatives of current residents. A search that starts on the day a discharge date is announced usually ends with whichever home has a vacancy rather than the one that fits. Even a rough shortlist of three or four homes makes a sudden decision considerably less fraught.

Care Homes in County Durham

County Durham has 94 CQC registered care homes. 83 are rated Good, 7 Outstanding, 3 Requires improvement, and 1 has not yet been rated. 70 of the 94 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

County Durham at a glance

What the numbers say about care for older people in County Durham.

Durham County Council pays, residential care: £857 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,331 to £1,392, median £1,369
Care home beds filled across County Durham: 89%. The 12 month average is 88%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 85
People aged 75 and over: 58,300. Rising to 68,700 by 2035, up 18%
Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 1 closed. 20 changed owner, covering 844 beds.
Who pays, across County Durham (estimate): 51% council, 26% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 7,500. Rising to 9,300 by 2035, up 24%
People aged 85 and over: 14,200. Rising to 20,600 by 2035, up 44%

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

What residential care in County Durham involves and what to look for

Residential care means a permanent home with personal support attached: help with washing, dressing, meals and medication, and staff awake and available through the night. It does not include nursing care from registered nurses on site, and settling that distinction early matters, because it determines whether a home can meet someone's needs both now and as things change.

Matching a home to the level of need

A person who is largely independent but no longer safe on their own needs something quite different from someone who requires help at every meal. Ask each home how it responds when needs increase, whether it is registered to support people living with dementia, and what circumstances would lead it to say it could no longer meet someone's needs. That conversation is far easier at the outset than after a second move becomes necessary. It is also worth asking about the mix of residents, since somebody at a very different stage from everyone around them can end up isolated in an otherwise excellent home.

Reading the inspection ratings

Every judgement here is published by the Care Quality Commission. Seventy five of these homes are rated Good, meaning inspectors found the standards tested were met across safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and leadership, and eight are rated Outstanding, which requires practice going well beyond what is expected as standard. Three homes sit at Requires Improvement, where inspectors identified shortfalls for the provider to put right, and reading the report will show whether those concerned record keeping or something closer to daily safety. One home is not yet rated, which usually means a recent registration rather than a concern. Check the date on any judgement too, because a home that has changed manager since its last inspection may bear little resemblance to the report describing it.

Getting an assessment and arranging funding in County Durham

Choosing a home and paying for it are two separate pieces of work, and the second takes longer than most families anticipate.

Asking for a care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need care and support may request an assessment, and there is no savings threshold to clear beforehand. Durham County Council is responsible for carrying out that assessment and for arranging funded support where a person meets the national eligibility criteria. The assessment looks at daily living, mobility, medication and safety at night, and produces a written record that is valuable whoever ends up paying, because it sets out plainly what level of support is needed. Family members providing regular unpaid care are entitled to a carer assessment of their own, which is worth requesting at the same time.

How the fees are worked out

Where the council is asked to contribute, a financial assessment follows and considers income, savings and other capital. A person whose capital sits above the national threshold is normally expected to meet the fee in full, while those below it pay on a sliding scale. Weekly fees differ between homes in County Durham and usually reflect room size, whether the room has an en suite bathroom, and how much individual support a resident requires. Before signing anything, ask for the fee in writing together with a clear list of what falls outside it, the notice period on each side, and how often fees are reviewed. Homes such as West Lodge Care Home, Murton Grange, Nevilles Court and Acorn Grange appear on this listing with a Good rating, and each will set out its own terms.

94 care homes in County Durham (showing 1–50)

Grizedale · Consett, County Durham · CQC Outstanding
Westerleigh · Stanley, County Durham · CQC Good
West Lodge Care Home · Crook, County Durham · CQC Good
Castle Bank Care Home · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Good
Hollyacre Bungalow · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Lindisfarne CLS Residential · Chester Le Street, County Durham · CQC Good
Poplar Lodge · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Good
Garden Lodge · Seaham, County Durham · CQC Good
Lumley Residential Home · Crook, County Durham · CQC Good
The Dispensary · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Mowbray House · Crook, County Durham · CQC Good
Crosshill Nursing Home · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Good
Redwell Hills · Consett, County Durham · CQC Good
Pelton Grange Care Home · Chester Le Street, County Durham · CQC Good
Care Centre · Chilton, County Durham · CQC Good
Elmcroft · Newton Aycliffe, County Durham · CQC Good
Oswald House · Newton Aycliffe, County Durham · CQC Good
Lyons Court Care Home · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Good
Murton Grange · Seaham, County Durham · CQC Good
The Daltons · Seaham, County Durham · CQC Good
Woodham Grange · Newton Aycliffe, County Durham · CQC Good
Beamish Residential Care Home · Stanley, County Durham · CQC Good
Lawreth · Seaham, County Durham · CQC Good
Acorn Grange · Ferryhill, County Durham · CQC Good
Tanglewood Mews · Stanley, County Durham
The Fields Care Home · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Requires improvement
Durham House Residential Care Home · Chester le Street, County Durham · CQC Good
Dr. Ashdown's Stockton Lodge · Seaham, County Durham · CQC Good
Birchwood Court Residential Care Home · Peterlee, County Durham · CQC Good
Langley Park Care Home · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Ferndale · Newton Aycliffe, County Durham · CQC Good
Parklands Care Home · Crook, County Durham · CQC Good
Cosin Lodge · Crook, County Durham · CQC Good
Beaconsfield Court · Barnard Castle, County Durham · CQC Good
Lothian House Care Home · Spennymoor, County Durham · CQC Outstanding
Beddell House · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Orchard House · Seaham, County Durham · CQC Good
Dipton Manor Care Home · Stanley, County Durham · CQC Good
Bowburn Care Centre · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Nevilles Court · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Broom Lodge · Ferryhill, County Durham · CQC Good
Lambton House · Houghton Le Spring, County Durham · CQC Good
Woodham Lodge · Newton Aycliffe, County Durham · CQC Good
Westholme · Stanley, County Durham · CQC Good
Springfield Lodge Care Home · West Rainton, County Durham · CQC Good
Tenlands Care Home · Ferryhill, County Durham · CQC Good
St Aidan Lodge Residential Care Home · Durham, County Durham · CQC Good
Devonshire House · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Good
Resolve · Bishop Auckland, County Durham · CQC Outstanding
Hampton Manor · Consett, County Durham · CQC Good

What care costs in County Durham, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care North East figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 13 homes. Median £1,369.	£857	£1,331 to £1,392
Nursing care England figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 140 homes. Median £1,916.	£890	£1,600 to £2,071
Residential dementia care North East figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 14 homes. Median £1,458.	Not published separately	£1,268 to £1,548
Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 75 homes. Median £2,050.	Not published separately	£1,890 to £2,221

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

Tenlands Care Home, 30 September 2026, Good
The Fields Care Home, 10 August 2026, Requires improvement
Parklands Care Home, 19 May 2026, Good

Longest since a report

Grizedale, 13 September 2017, Outstanding
Orchard House, 12 October 2017, Good
Eden House, 17 October 2017, Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about care homes in County Durham

How many care homes are there in County Durham?

County Durham has 94 CQC registered care homes: 7 Outstanding, 83 Good, 3 Requires improvement, 1 not yet rated. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does a care home cost in County Durham?

Durham County Council pays an average of £857 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,331 to £1,392 a week. North East figure, because too few County Durham homes publish this price. 13 homes. Median £1,369. 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 County Durham were inspected most recently?

Tenlands Care Home (30 September 2026), The Fields Care Home (10 August 2026) and Parklands Care Home (19 May 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.

Local care news in County Durham

New 48 bed care home registered with CQC in County Durham: Willowdene Care Home (5 November 2026)

More local care news for County Durham