Care Homes in Lymington
Lymington has 6 CQC registered care homes. 5 are rated Good, 1 Requires improvement. 4 of the 6 were last inspected more than three years ago.
Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.
Lymington at a glance
What the local numbers say about care for older people in Lymington, to help you judge the options below.
- Hampshire County Council pays, residential care: £1,245 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,458 to £1,870, median £1,595
- Care home beds filled across Hampshire: 88%. The 12 month average is 87%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 79. Hampshire average is 73.
- People aged 75 and over: 30,600. Rising to 35,500 by 2035, up 16%
- Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 1 closed. 5 changed owner, covering 162 beds.
- Who pays, across Hampshire (estimate): 35% council, 50% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 4,000. Rising to 5,000 by 2035, up 25%
- People aged 85 and over: 8,800. Rising to 13,100 by 2035, up 49%
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 a care home place in Lymington and paying for it
The question of who pays gets answered by two documents, and until they exist every figure anybody quotes is guesswork. One sets out what care is needed; the other sets out what the household is expected to contribute. Both are free, and both can be under way before a single home is visited.
The care needs assessment
A care needs assessment is the written record of what somebody can manage alone and where help is required. You can request one for yourself or for a relative who consents, and the right to one does not depend on income or savings. The assessor looks at washing, dressing, eating, medication, mobility, continence and how safe the present arrangement really is, then produces a support plan. Ask for a copy, because every home will want to see it.
How the council helps
Assessments and funded placements in Lymington are handled by Hampshire County Council Adult Social Care, which carries out a financial assessment alongside the needs assessment to establish the household contribution. Income, savings and usually the value of a property are all taken into account, and anyone with capital above the upper threshold pays privately at the outset. Where the council does fund a placement it pays up to a set rate, and a home charging more may look for a contribution from a third party. Where health needs rather than social care needs dominate, NHS continuing healthcare may be assessed instead.
What a place is likely to cost
Weekly fees differ by home, by room and by how much support a person needs, so treat an early quotation as provisional. Ask each home for a written breakdown showing what the fee includes and what is charged on top, and check how often fees are reviewed. If a property has not yet been sold, raise the possibility of a deferred payment arrangement during the financial assessment rather than afterwards.
Choosing a home in Lymington and what to look for
Where five of six homes share a rating, the visit carries more weight than the paperwork.
Reading past the rating
Holly Lodge, Little Orchard, Freegrove Care Home, Thornfield Care Home and Hillyfield Rest Home Limited are rated Good, while Sway Place currently sits at Requires Improvement. Open each report and read the sections individually rather than resting on the overall judgement, because a home can be rated Good while being noticeably stronger on care than on leadership, or the reverse. Note how recently each inspection took place. Where a home holds the lower rating, ask the manager what has changed since the inspectors left and who is overseeing it.
What to look for when you visit
Go at a busy hour rather than a quiet one, and notice whether residents are occupied or simply sitting. Ask how many carers are on duty overnight, how long the registered manager has been in post, and how many permanent staff have left over the past year. Look at the food, the laundry arrangements and whether people can get outside without having to ask twice. Watch how staff speak to the people already living there, because that reveals more than any brochure.
6 care homes in Lymington
- Sway Place · Lymington, Hampshire · CQC Requires improvement
- Little Orchard · Lymington, Hampshire · CQC Good
- Holly Lodge · Lymington, Hampshire · CQC Good
- Freegrove Care Home · Lymington, Hampshire · CQC Good
- Thornfield Care Home · Lymington, Hampshire · CQC Good
- Hillyfield Rest Home · Lymington, Hampshire · CQC Good
What care costs in Hampshire, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care Middle half of prices from 13 Hampshire homes. Median £1,595. | £1,245 | £1,458 to £1,870 |
| Nursing care South East figure, because too few Hampshire homes publish this price. 63 homes. Median £1,933. | £1,365 | £1,617 to £2,080 |
| Residential dementia care South East figure, because too few Hampshire 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 Hampshire 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
- Little Orchard, 31 July 2025, Good
- Sway Place, 29 May 2025, Requires improvement
- Holly Lodge, 30 December 2022, Good
Longest since a report
- Freegrove Care Home, 4 January 2019, Good
- Thornfield Care Home, 30 December 2021, Good
- Hillyfield Rest Home Limited, 26 October 2022, Good
Frequently asked questions about care homes in Lymington
How many care homes are there in Lymington?
Lymington has 6 CQC registered care homes: 5 Good, 1 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 Lymington?
Hampshire County Council pays an average of £1,245 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,458 to £1,870 a week. Middle half of prices from 13 Hampshire homes. Median £1,595. 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 Lymington were inspected most recently?
Little Orchard (31 July 2025), Sway Place (29 May 2025) and Holly Lodge (30 December 2022) have the most recent CQC reports.