How do we arrange a care needs assessment in Merton?

Contact the adult social care team at the London Borough of Merton and ask for an assessment of care and support needs. The person themselves, a relative, a GP or a hospital discharge team can all make that request, and the assessment is free. A practitioner will look at mobility, personal care, medication and how someone is managing at home, then record which needs are eligible for support. A separate financial assessment decides contributions.

Can the London Borough of Merton fund a care home placement?

It can, once a care needs assessment has confirmed that a residential placement is the right way to meet someone's needs. A financial assessment then looks at income and capital and works out the council contribution towards the weekly fee. The council pays up to a set rate, so a family choosing a more expensive home may be asked to meet the difference. Requesting both assessments early avoids delay.

Which providers in Merton offer residential care?

Twenty one residential care homes match this search, each with a profile of its own on this page. They include Haydon Park Lodge, Haydons Lodge, Bavani Care Home Limited and Keychange Charity Alexander House Care Home, along with the rest of the list. Every profile carries the current Care Quality Commission position and links to the published report. Working down the list is the quickest way to see which homes suit the support needed.

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

A care home provides accommodation, meals and help with personal care such as washing, dressing and prompting medication. A nursing home offers the same and also has registered nurses on duty at all times, so wound care, injections and complex medication are handled on site. The homes on this page are registered for residential care rather than nursing. If clinical needs increase, a move to a nursing registered home may become necessary.

How far in advance should we start looking at care homes?

Begin as soon as residential care looks likely rather than waiting for a crisis to force the decision. Several weeks gives time to visit homes more than once, read the inspection reports and resolve funding questions. Where a hospital discharge is pressing, ask whether a short interim placement is possible so the permanent choice is not rushed. Notes taken at early visits remain useful even if the move happens later.

What should we ask when visiting a care home in Merton?

Ask how many staff are on duty during the day and overnight, and how often agency workers are used to cover shifts. Ask how care plans are written and reviewed, and how quickly families are told about a fall or a change in health. Questions about meals, activities, visiting arrangements and personal belongings are worth putting to every home. Asking the manager what they are working to improve usually produces a candid answer.

Care Homes in Merton

Merton has 21 CQC registered care homes. 21 are rated Good. 11 of the 21 were last inspected more than three years ago.

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

Merton at a glance

What the numbers say about care for older people in Merton.

London Borough of Merton pays, residential care: £1,188 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,688 to £1,953, median £1,783
Care home beds filled across Merton: 94%. The 12 month average is 91%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 58
People aged 75 and over: 13,800. Rising to 16,600 by 2035, up 20%
Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 3 closed. 4 changed owner, covering 210 beds.
Who pays, across Merton (estimate): 53% council, 45% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 1,900. Rising to 2,300 by 2035, up 24%
People aged 85 and over: 3,900. Rising to 5,200 by 2035, up 31%

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 Merton

Where ratings are as consistent as they are here, the funding position often shapes the shortlist more than quality does. Settling it before visits begin saves a good deal of wasted effort.

Getting a care needs assessment

Anyone who appears to need care and support can ask for an assessment, and a relative, a GP or a hospital discharge team may request one on their behalf. It is free and does not depend on income or savings. London Borough of Merton Adult Social Care carries out that assessment and the financial assessment that follows, which establishes how much of the weekly fee the council meets and how much the resident contributes. Families intending to fund privately still benefit from having eligible needs recorded.

How much the council pays

Where a placement is funded, the council meets the fee up to a set weekly rate. A family choosing a home that charges more may be asked to cover the difference, so it is worth knowing in advance who would pay it and for how long. Ask what happens if that arrangement later becomes unaffordable, since the answer should be clear before anyone moves in.

Understanding the fee

Ask each home for a written schedule rather than a figure quoted on the telephone, and check what falls outside the weekly charge, such as hairdressing, chiropody, newspapers or escorted appointments. Ask how often fees are reviewed and what notice precedes a rise. Ask what happens to the room during a hospital admission and what the home does when private savings run down to the point at which council support begins.

Choosing the Right Care Home in Merton and What to Look For

Reading past the ratings

Twenty homes on this list are rated Good and one is not yet rated. With a picture that even, the reports themselves are where the differences show, so look at what inspectors praised, how recently they visited and whether the home was strong on the things that matter most to your relative. For the unrated home, your own visit and the manager's answers carry more weight than usual.

Matching a home to the person

Ask which specialisms each home holds registration for, particularly dementia care, and whether it can keep supporting someone whose needs increase. Ask about the daily routine, how activities are arranged and how a new resident is helped to settle in the first few weeks. Consider travel as well, because the home relatives can reach easily is the one that gets regular visitors.

What a visit shows

Go when the home is busy rather than at a quiet hour. Watch how staff greet residents who are not expecting a visitor, whether people are occupied and how promptly call bells are answered. Ask how many carers are on duty overnight, how much agency cover is used and how long the manager has been in post. Ask to see a room that is genuinely available and stay for a meal if you can.

21 care homes in Merton

138 All Saints Road · 138 All Saints Road, London, Merton, SW19 1BZ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Certitude Trading Limited
Here at 138 All Saints Road, we provide residential care for a wide range of people in the heart of Merton, London. We are proud to support older adults, younger adults, and people living with learning disabilities, autism, mental health...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Bavani Care Home · 142 Elm Walk, London, Merton, SW20 9EG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Bavani Care Home Limited
We at Bavani Care Home are proud to offer a welcoming residential care home in the heart of London, providing compassionate support to older people, younger adults, and individuals living with dementia or mental health needs within the...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Haydon Park Lodge · 7 Haydon Park Road, London, Merton, SW19 8JQ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Haydon Park Lodge Limited
We are a residential home in Merton supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic people. The house runs as a household rather than an institution. Everyone has their own room and their own things, and the week is worked out...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Haydons Lodge · 6c & 6d North Road, London, Merton, SW19 1DB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Centrust Care Homes Limited
Haydons Lodge is a residential care home in Merton, south London, supporting adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults, and people managing mental health conditions. We also offer respite stays. We treat this as the place where...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Respite Care
Keychange Charity Alexander House Care Home · 12 Clifton Road, London, Merton, SW19 4QT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Keychange Charity
Alexander House, part of the Keychange charity, is a residential care home in Merton, south London, and we provide a home for older people who need support with daily living. Respite stays are available as well. Being part of a charity...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Lee House · 2 Lancaster Avenue, London, Merton, SW19 5DE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Abbeyfield Society (The)
Lee House is a care home in Merton. We provide residential care for older people and younger adults, and we offer respite stays alongside permanent places. We keep to residential care rather than claiming to cover everything, and that is...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
South Park Residential Home · 193 South Park Road, London, Merton, SW19 8RY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Southpark Residential Home Limited
South Park Residential Home is in Merton, south London. We offer older people a settled, permanent home, and we also provide respite stays for those who need care for a short period or whose family carer needs a break. The help people need...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Acorn Residential Home · 47 Mitcham Park, Mitcham, Merton, CR4 4EP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs Yoheswari Nithiyananthan & Mr Kanagaratnam Nithiyananthan
We are Acorn Residential Home in Mitcham, in the London borough of Merton. We are a residential care home for older people and younger adults, and we support people living with dementia, adults with a learning disability, autistic adults,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care, Eating Disorders
Greenfield Care Home · 387 London Road, Mitcham, Merton, CR4 4BF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Sunrise Rehabilitation Centre and Trading Associates Ltd
Greenfield Care Home in Mitcham is a residential care home supporting older people and younger adults, including adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults and people with physical disabilities. We also offer respite stays....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Rosebank Lodge · 82-84 Mitcham Park, Mitcham, Merton, CR4 4EJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Achieve Together Limited
Rosebank Lodge in Mitcham is a residential home supporting adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults and people with physical disabilities, most of them younger adults. We also offer respite stays. Because people tend to live here...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St Antony's Care Home · 1 Wide Way, Mitcham, Merton, CR4 1BP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by St.Antony's Ltd
St Antony's Care Home provides residential care in Mitcham for older people and younger adults. We support people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities and autism, people managing mental health conditions and people who...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
St Georges Residential Care Home · 30 St Georges Road, Mitcham, Merton, CR4 1EB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Afra Siyab
We at St Georges Residential Care Home are proud to offer a welcoming and supportive home in Mitcham, providing specialist residential care for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Nestled within the London Borough of Merton, our...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
United Response - 60 Woodland Way · 60 Woodland Way, Mitcham, Merton, CR4 2DY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by United Response
We are United Response at Woodland Way in Mitcham, a residential care home in the London Borough of Merton supporting adults with a learning disability and autistic adults. We provide accommodation and personal care, and we also offer...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
179 Green Lane · 179 Green Lane, Morden, Merton, SM4 6SG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Achieve Together Limited
Here at 179 Green Lane, we are a residential care home based in Morden, Merton, and we are proud to support the people who live with us as individuals first and foremost. We specialise in supporting adults with learning disabilities and...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
374 St Helier Avenue · 374 St. Helier Avenue, Morden, Merton, SM4 6JU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Achieve Together Limited
We at 374 St Helier Avenue are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in Morden, providing specialist support for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Nestled within the London Borough of Merton, our home offers...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
43 Florence Avenue · 43 Florence Avenue, Morden, Merton, SM4 6EX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Florence Avenue Care Home Limited
We are a small residential care home on Florence Avenue in Morden, supporting adults with a learning disability or autism, including younger adults. We also offer respite stays, which can give a family carer a real break while the person...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Abbey House · 455 Hillcross Avenue, Morden, Merton, SM4 4BZ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Ms Sivanithy Rajaratnam
Abbey House in Morden is a residential care home in the London borough of Merton. We support a notably wide range of people, which is unusual and is something we have chosen rather than drifted into. Older adults live here, including many...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Annex Abbey House · 459 Hillcross Avenue, Morden, Merton, SM4 4BZ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Ms Sivanithy Rajaratnam
Here at Annex Abbey House, we provide residential care for people in the heart of Morden, Merton, and we take genuine pride in the community we have built within our home. We support a wide range of individuals, including older adults,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Ashbrook House · 20 St Helier Avenue, Morden, Merton, SM4 6LF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Ashbrook House Limited
Ashbrook House is a residential care home in Morden, Merton, supporting adults with a learning disability or autism and people living with a physical disability. We support both younger adults and older people, and we also offer respite...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Manor House Residential Home · Manor House, Morden, Merton, SM4 5QT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by BNP Care Ltd
We at Manor House Residential Home are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the heart of Morden, providing dedicated older person care for those who need a little extra support in their daily lives. Nestled within...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Sunlight House · 412 Hillcross Avenue, Morden, Merton, SM4 4EX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Moonesswar Jingree
Sunlight House is a residential care home in Morden, and we support adults with learning disabilities, autistic people, adults living with mental ill health, and younger adults. Respite stays are available as well. We run a household...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care

What care costs in Merton, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care London figure, because too few Merton homes publish this price. 21 homes. Median £1,783.	£1,188	£1,688 to £1,953
Nursing care London figure, because too few Merton homes publish this price. 12 homes. Median £2,228.	£1,130	£2,060 to £2,276
Residential dementia care London figure, because too few Merton homes publish this price. 18 homes. Median £1,979.	Not published separately	£1,889 to £2,049
Nursing dementia care London figure, because too few Merton homes publish this price. 10 homes. Median £2,283.	Not published separately	£2,114 to £2,340

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

Annex Abbey House, 20 May 2026, Good
Acorn Residential Home, 7 April 2026, Good
Ashbrook House, 22 February 2026, Good

Longest since a report

Bavani Care Home Limited, 6 July 2021, Good
Abbey House - Morden, 28 August 2021, Good
43 Florence Avenue, 2 March 2022, Good

Frequently asked questions about care homes in Merton

How many care homes are there in Merton?

Merton has 21 CQC registered care homes: 21 Good. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does a care home cost in Merton?

London Borough of Merton pays an average of £1,188 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,688 to £1,953 a week. London figure, because too few Merton homes publish this price. 21 homes. Median £1,783. 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 Merton were inspected most recently?

Annex Abbey House (20 May 2026), Acorn Residential Home (7 April 2026) and Ashbrook House (22 February 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.