Can Devon County Council fund a care home placement?

It can, where a person meets both the needs test and the financial test. The care needs assessment must conclude that residential care is the right way to meet those needs, and a financial assessment of income and capital then decides what each side contributes. Devon County Council is the authority responsible for both stages and for arranging funded support where someone qualifies. If your preferred home charges above the council rate, you will be asked how the difference is to be met.

How do we arrange a care needs assessment in Exeter?

Contact the adult social care team at Devon County Council and ask for an assessment of care and support needs. The request can come from the person themselves, from a relative acting with their agreement, or from a hospital team arranging a discharge. It is free, and no level of savings removes the right to have one. Ask for a copy of the written outcome, since it is the clearest summary of need you can give a prospective home.

How far ahead should we start looking?

Earlier than most families expect. Homes with a good reputation often keep waiting lists, so a search that begins during a hospital discharge leaves very little scope to compare. Starting while your relative can still express a preference means the decision is partly theirs, which usually makes settling in easier. Even a provisional shortlist and one or two visits will serve you well if circumstances change quickly.

Which care homes in Exeter are listed on this page?

The page covers thirty three residential care homes in Exeter registered with the Care Quality Commission. They include Highlands Borders Care Home, Parklands, Dennyshill Care Home and The Lilacs Residential Home, alongside other registered services in the area. Each entry carries the home's current rating and opens into a fuller profile. Filtering by the support your relative needs will bring the list down to something manageable.

What should we ask when visiting a home in Exeter?

Start with staffing, including numbers on duty overnight, the level of agency cover and how long the manager has been in place. Ask how residents spend their days, what choice they have over meals and bedtimes, and what happens for someone who prefers to stay in their room. Check how medication, falls and changes in health are recorded and who families should contact with a concern. Ask to see the most recent inspection report and anything the home has written in response to it.

What is the difference between a care home and a nursing home?

A residential care home provides personal care, meaning help with washing, dressing, eating, moving about and taking medication, delivered by care staff. A nursing home offers all of that with registered nurses based on site to provide clinical care. Every provider listed on this page is registered as a residential care home rather than a nursing home. If nursing needs are likely to develop, ask each home how it would handle that and whether a move would follow.

Care Homes in Exeter

Exeter has 34 CQC registered care homes. 27 are rated Good, 1 Outstanding, 2 Requires improvement, and 4 have not yet been rated. 22 of the 34 were last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Exeter at a glance

What the local numbers say about care for older people in Exeter, to help you judge the options below.

Devon County Council pays, residential care: £1,110 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650, median £1,549
Care home beds filled across Devon: 88%. The 12 month average is 88%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 91. Devon average is 64.
People aged 75 and over: 12,400. Rising to 14,700 by 2035, up 18%
Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 0 closed. 1 changed owner, covering 66 beds.
Who pays, across Devon (estimate): 42% council, 40% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 1,600. Rising to 2,100 by 2035, up 27%
People aged 85 and over: 3,600. Rising to 5,200 by 2035, up 48%

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

Planning and paying for a care home in Exeter

The search for a home and the arrangements for paying for it tend to run in parallel, which is what makes the whole process feel unmanageable. Settling the assessment first gives everything that follows a clearer shape, because it establishes what care is genuinely required before any argument about money begins.

The care needs assessment

Every adult who appears to need care and support is entitled to an assessment, whatever their savings, and it costs nothing. A practitioner considers personal care, mobility, nutrition, memory, medication and the risks of remaining at home, then records in writing the support that is needed. Devon County Council Adult Social Care is responsible for carrying out that assessment and for the financial assessment that decides what public funding contributes towards a placement. Ask for the written outcome even if you expect to pay privately, because it gives every home you approach a consistent account of your relative's needs and saves repeating the story.

What sits behind the weekly fee

Fees are set by each provider rather than centrally, so two homes offering broadly similar care can quote very differently. The figure reflects staffing levels, the support included, the room itself and whether nursing input forms part of the package. Ask for the fee in writing, ask what falls outside it and ask how much notice is given before an increase. Where the council contributes, its rate may sit below the price a home charges, and that difference has to be met by somebody. Agree who, and on what terms, before a contract is signed rather than afterwards.

Choosing a home in Exeter and what to check

Thirty three homes is more than any family can see properly, so most of the filtering has to happen on paper. Location, the kind of support needed and the inspection history will usually leave three or four worth visiting.

Getting past the overall rating

Each rating compresses five separate judgements into a single word, covering whether a home is safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led. The balance between those five tells you much more than the badge, and it is where two homes both rated Good can look quite different. One home on this list has reached Outstanding, though a well run Good home may suit your relative better on size or location. Check the inspection date as well, because managers and staff teams move on and an older report may describe a home that has since changed.

What to notice on a visit

Ask to come at a busy time, around a meal or mid morning, rather than accepting a quiet slot chosen for you. Watch how staff speak to residents who cannot easily speak for themselves, and whether people seem occupied or simply left sitting. Ask how many staff are on duty overnight, how sickness is covered, how long the registered manager has been in post and how much agency cover the home uses. Ask finally what would happen if your relative's needs grew, and whether that would eventually mean moving again.

34 care homes in Exeter

SENSE Andlaw House · 126 Bartholomew Street West, Exeter, Devon, EX4 3AJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Sense
Andlaw House is a residential care home in Exeter, Devon, run by Sense. We support adults with a learning disability or autism, people with a physical disability, and those with a visual or hearing impairment. We also offer respite care...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Spurfield House · Main Road, Exeter, Devon, EX6 8BU
Care home · Run by Georgian House (Torquay) Limited
We at Spurfield House offer a welcoming residential care home in Exeter, providing thoughtful support to older people and adults living with a range of needs across the local Devon community. Our aim is simple: to create a place where...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Highlands Borders Care Home · 22 Salutary Mount, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2QE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Highlands Borders Care Home Limited
We at Highlands Borders Care Home are proud to offer warm, professional residential care in the heart of Exeter, Devon. Nestled within this historic cathedral city in the South West, our home provides a welcoming sanctuary where residents...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
The Lilacs Residential Home · 42-44 Old Tiverton Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6NG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Lilacs Care Ltd
We at The Lilacs Residential Home offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in Exeter, providing dedicated support for older people, including those living with dementia. Nestled within the heart of Devon, our home has been...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Respite Care
Penhayes · Kenton, Exeter, Devon, EX6 8JB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Modus Care Limited
Penhayes is a residential home in Exeter supporting adults with a learning disability, autistic adults and people who live with mental health conditions. We offer permanent places and respite stays. This is the residents' home and we try...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Respite Care
Hill House · Combe Raleigh, Exeter, Devon, EX14 4UQ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Abbeyfield Society (The)
We at Hill House are proud to offer a warm, welcoming residential care home in the heart of Exeter, providing compassionate older person care alongside support for younger adults across our Devon community. Our home has been thoughtfully...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Jack Simpson House · North Street, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2RH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Highlands Borders Care Home Limited
At Jack Simpson House, we provide residential care for older adults in the heart of Exeter, Devon. We are proud to have received a "Good" rating from the Care Quality Commission, which reflects the genuine effort our team puts in every...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Bronte · Lower Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX3 0QT
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Mr T & Mrs C Murphy
Bronte is a residential care home in Exeter, Devon, caring for older people, including people with a physical disability. Respite stays are available alongside permanent places. As a residential setting our work is daily life supported...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Mr Warwick Phillips and Mrs Deborah Phillips - 14-15 St James Road · 14-15 St James Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 6PY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mr Warwick Phillips and Mrs Deborah Phillips
Here at 14-15 St James Road in Exeter, Devon, we provide residential care for adults in a setting that feels genuinely like home. We are a care home run by Warwick and Deborah Phillips, and between us we have built a place where people are...
Specialisms: Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care, Eating Disorders, Alcohol / Drug Misuse
Penhayes House · Kenton, Exeter, Devon, EX6 8JB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Modus Care Limited
Here at Penhayes House, we offer residential care for people who need a little extra support to live well. Based in Exeter, Devon, we support adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs and younger adults who may be...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Dennyshill Care Home · Glenthorne Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4QU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs T Hibberd
We at Dennyshill Care Home warmly welcome you to our residential care home in Exeter, where compassionate older person care sits at the heart of everything we do. Nestled within the historic county of Devon, our home offers a peaceful...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Parkland House · Barley Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX4 1TA
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by Peninsula Care Homes Limited
Here at Parkland House, we are proud to be a care home in the heart of Exeter, Devon, offering a place where older adults and their families can feel genuinely at ease. Our CQC rating of Outstanding reflects the commitment of our whole...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Seabrook House · Seabrook Court, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7DR
Care home · CQC Good · Run by UK Healthcare Group Limited
Seabrook House is a small residential care home in Exeter supporting adults living with mental health conditions, including many younger adults. We keep the house small deliberately. Being properly known by the people who support you does...
Specialisms: Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Parklands · Parklands, Exeter, Devon, EX5 4RD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Park House (Exeter) Limited
We at Parklands are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the heart of Exeter, providing compassionate support for older people across Devon and the wider South West. Nestled within the EX postcode area, our home...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Amelia House Residential Home · Amelia House, Exeter, Devon, EX2 9SX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Amelia House Limited
Amelia House Residential Home is in Exeter, providing residential care for older people and younger adults who need support close at hand. We aim to run as a household rather than an institution, and the day belongs to the people living...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Sainthill House Care Home · Cowick Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX2 9JG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Sainthill House Ltd
Sainthill House is a residential care home in Exeter. We support older people, including those living with dementia, adults with a learning disability and autistic adults, and younger adults whose needs are best met in a residential...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Stallcombe House · Sanctuary Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX5 1EX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Stallcombe House
Stallcombe House is a residential care home near Exeter supporting a broad mix of adults. Some of the people who live here are older, including those living with dementia. Others have a learning disability or are autistic, live with mental...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
New Treetops · Nichols Way, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2AG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Devon County Council
New Treetops is a residential care home in Exeter supporting adults, including adults with learning disabilities and autism and people with physical disabilities. We also offer planned respite stays. The people who live here are adults...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Woodland View Lodge · Dutchbarn Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7PW
Care home · Run by Crystal Care Homes Topsham Opco Limited
Woodland View Lodge is a residential care home in Exeter, supporting older people and younger adults from across Devon, including people living with dementia and people who have a physical disability. A care home is judged by its ordinary...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults
The Manor Exminster · Main Road, Exeter, Devon, EX6 8AP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by The Manor, Exminster Limited
The Manor Exminster is a residential care home near Exeter, Devon, looking after older people who need support with daily living. Dementia care is central to what we do. We keep the house calm and familiar, we give people time rather than...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Cumberland Grange Care Home · Cumberland Way, Exeter, Devon, EX1 3ZU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
Cumberland Grange is a residential care home in Exeter. We support older people and younger adults who can no longer manage safely at home, including many who are living with dementia, and we also welcome people for respite stays when a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Watermeadow Grange · Bewick Avenue, Exeter, Devon, EX3 0FF
Care home · Run by Topsham Care Limited
Watermeadow Grange is a residential care home in Exeter caring for older people, including those living with dementia, those with physical disabilities and those with sight or hearing loss. We also support younger adults, and respite stays...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Endeavour Residential Home · Chudleigh Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8TS
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Endeavour Residential Services Ltd
We are a residential care home in Exeter, offering a home to older people who need support with daily life. That includes people living with dementia, people with mental health needs, people with physical disabilities and people living...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Alphington Lodge Residential Home · 1 St Michaels Close, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8XH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by TN CARE LTD
Here at Alphington Lodge Residential Home, we provide warm and attentive care for older adults in a homely setting in the heart of Exeter, Devon. We specialise in residential care for older people, and we also offer respite care for those...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
Aaron Court Care Home · 328 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 8AS
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Salisbury Care Limited
Aaron Court Care Home is a residential home in Exeter, looking after older people who need help with daily life rather than nursing care. We offer permanent places and respite stays. A care home ought to feel like somewhere people live,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
The Court Retirement Residence · Rockbeare, Exeter, Devon, EX5 2EF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by The Court Retirement Residence
The Court Retirement Residence provides residential care in Exeter for older people and younger adults, including people with physical disabilities. We also take planned respite stays. We are a home rather than an institution, and most of...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Regents Park · 42 East Wonford Hill, Exeter, Devon, EX1 3TF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Regents Park Limited
Regents Park is a residential care home in Exeter, and we support adults with learning disabilities, autistic people, people with physical disabilities, people living with sight or hearing loss, and younger adults. Respite stays are...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Highbray Residential Care Home · 84 Mount Pleasant Road Exeter, Exeter, Devon, EX4 7AE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs Josefa McLeod
Highbray Residential Care Home is in Exeter, supporting adults with a learning disability, autistic adults, people with mental health needs and people living with dementia. Many of those who live here are younger adults, and we plan around...
Specialisms: Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Treelands Home Main Site and Treelands Atrium · Five Mile Hill, Exeter, Devon, EX6 6AQ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Treelands Home Limited
Treelands is a residential care home in Exeter, providing a permanent home for older people who need help with the practical side of everyday life. We try to keep the place domestic, with the ordinary rhythms of meals, company, fresh air...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
The Holt · Deepway Gardens, Exeter, Devon, EX6 8BE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Modus Care Limited
The Holt is a residential care home in Exeter supporting adults with a learning disability or autism and adults living with mental health conditions. This is somewhere people live rather than somewhere they have been sent, and we run the...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Dene Court Care Home · 1 Wonford Street, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5HU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Dene Court Care Home Limited
Dene Court is a residential care home in Exeter, and we are home to people who live here for the long term as well as to those who come for a short stay while a family carer takes a break. We try to run the place as a household rather than...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Woodland View Lodge · Dutchbarn Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX2 7PW
Care home · Run by Crystal Care Homes Topsham Limited
We are a residential care home in Exeter, providing a home for older people and younger adults who need help with daily living, including those living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people with loss of sight or...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Dove Tree House · 89-91 Heavitree Road, Exeter, Devon, EX1 2ND
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Stonehaven (Healthcare) Ltd
Dove Tree House is a residential care home in Exeter. We provide care for older people, including those living with dementia and people with a physical disability, and we offer respite stays. We are a residential home rather than a nursing...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Respite Care
Oak House · 56 St. Leonards Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 4LS
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Oak House (Exeter) Ltd
Oak House is a residential care home in Exeter, Devon. We provide a home for older people, including those living with dementia, people with a physical disability and people managing mental health conditions. Respite stays are available...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Respite Care

What care costs in Devon, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care South West figure, because too few Devon homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549.	£1,110	£1,400 to £1,650
Nursing care South West figure, because too few Devon homes publish this price. 16 homes. Median £1,810.	£1,363	£1,599 to £1,983
Residential dementia care South West figure, because too few Devon homes publish this price. 19 homes. Median £1,665.	Not published separately	£1,450 to £1,813
Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few Devon 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

Dennyshill Care Home, 25 September 2026, Good
The Lilacs Residential Home, 11 August 2026, Good
New Treetops, 10 July 2026, Good

Longest since a report

The Holt, 22 November 2018, Good
Highbray Residential Care Home, 4 December 2018, Good
Dove Tree House, 9 January 2019, Good

Frequently asked questions about care homes in Exeter

How many care homes are there in Exeter?

Exeter has 34 CQC registered care homes: 1 Outstanding, 27 Good, 2 Requires improvement, 4 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 Exeter?

Devon County Council pays an average of £1,110 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650 a week. South West figure, because too few Devon homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549. 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 Exeter were inspected most recently?

Dennyshill Care Home (25 September 2026), The Lilacs Residential Home (11 August 2026) and New Treetops (10 July 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.