Will West Berkshire Council pay towards a care home?

It may, where a financial assessment shows that income and capital will not cover the full cost. For a permanent residential placement the value of a property is normally counted unless a partner or certain other relatives still live there. Any contribution follows from the care needs assessment, so that has to happen first. Where a family chooses a home above the council's agreed budget, a third party contribution is usually required to bridge the gap.

How is an assessment arranged in West Berkshire?

Contact West Berkshire Council and ask for an adult social care needs assessment. There is no charge and no means test attached to the assessment itself, and anyone who appears to need support qualifies. An assessor discusses daily living, mobility, health conditions, medication and the risks someone currently faces, then sets out a care and support plan. A family member already providing care can ask to be assessed separately as a carer.

How soon should a family start looking?

Before the decision is forced on them. Looking while circumstances are stable allows repeat visits, an unhurried read of the inspection reports and a choice made on what suits the person. Families who begin during a hospital discharge often find the field already narrowed to whoever has a room. Starting the assessment early costs nothing and leaves every option open.

Which care homes are registered in West Berkshire?

Thirty four residential care homes registered in West Berkshire appear on this page. They include The Coombe House, Winchcombe Place, Boxgrove House, Rowan Cottage and Duncan House, alongside a number of smaller houses supporting only a few residents each. Every entry opens into a profile showing the current Care Quality Commission rating and the inspection report behind it. Working through a short list of those profiles is the most efficient way to decide where to visit.

What should we ask on a visit?

Ask how many staff are on duty by day and overnight, how long the manager has been in the role and what turnover has been like over the past year. Ask how the home responds when a resident's needs grow, and whether that might eventually mean moving on. Ask to see the current week's activities and a recent menu instead of a brochure. Then ask exactly what the weekly fee covers and what is billed in addition.

How does a care home differ from a nursing home?

A residential care home offers accommodation, meals and help with personal tasks such as washing, dressing and prompting medication, with care staff present around the clock. A nursing home provides all of that and also employs registered nurses on site, so it can meet clinical needs such as complex wound care, catheter management and support in the final stages of an illness. Everything listed on this page is registered as a residential care home. Where nursing may be needed, the care needs assessment is the right place to establish it.

Care Homes in West Berkshire

Across West Berkshire the directory holds thirty four registered residential care homes, ranging from larger purpose built settings to small houses supporting only a few people, all of them offering accommodation with everyday support rather than nursing on site. The inspection record behind them is largely settled, with one home rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission and twenty eight rated Good, while two are currently at Requires Improvement and three have no published rating as yet. Care needs assessments and decisions about funded support rest with West Berkshire Council, which weighs income and capital before determining what a person is entitled to, and that process is far easier begun early than late. Ratings will only take a shortlist so far. The profiles below carry the full inspection reports, and reading two or three of them properly will tell you more about daily life in a home than the summary judgement ever could.

Planning and paying for care in West Berkshire

Getting the need established

Before comparing homes it is worth knowing precisely what a person needs, and an assessment of need exists to settle that. It costs nothing, applies to anyone who appears to require support, and is not affected by savings. An assessor looks at mobility, washing and dressing, memory, medication, nutrition and the risks someone faces in their current home, and writes the result up as a care and support plan. Request one from West Berkshire Council social care, which is responsible for carrying out assessments and for agreeing any funded support that follows. A relative providing unpaid care is entitled to a carer assessment of their own.

The means test and what it counts

A financial assessment examines income, savings and capital. In a permanent residential placement the value of a property is usually brought into the calculation, unless a partner or certain other relatives continue to live in it. The outcome decides whether the council pays part or all of the fees, or whether someone funds their own place while contributing from pension income. Where the council pays, it sets a budget reflecting assessed need, and choosing a home above that figure normally means a relative meeting the difference for the duration of the placement.

Understanding the weekly figure

Fees differ widely between homes and the quoted number rarely tells the whole story. Ask what falls inside it and what is charged separately, from chiropody and hairdressing to outings and escorted appointments. Ask how often fees are reviewed and what the last rise amounted to. Ask what happens if savings run down and council funding becomes necessary, because that answer decides whether a second move could be forced later on.

Choosing a provider in West Berkshire and what to check

What the inspection reports add

The Coombe House is the one home here holding an Outstanding judgement, with twenty eight rated Good, two at Requires Improvement and three not yet rated. An absent rating generally reflects recent registration rather than any concern, though it does mean there is no published report to rely on, so ask the manager more and expect fuller answers. For the rest, check the date of the inspection, then read what was said about staffing levels, medicines and how residents spend their days.

Small homes and larger ones

This listing includes a number of very small services alongside more conventional homes. A small house can feel domestic and familiar, with staff who know everyone well, but it may have fewer people on duty at any moment and a narrower range of activity. A larger home often offers more cover and more going on, at some cost to intimacy. The right answer depends entirely on the person, not on which looks better on paper.

Seeing it for yourself

Visit around a meal, when a home is busiest. Watch how people needing help to eat are supported, how quickly call bells are answered and whether staff know residents by name. Ask how many staff are on overnight, how long the manager has been in post and what turnover has been like. Then visit a second time, on a different day, before making any commitment.

35 care homes in West Berkshire

Downview Residential Home · 11-12 Down View, Hungerford, West Berkshire, RG17 0ED
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mr & Mrs T Shoesmith and L. Clements
Downview Residential Home is a care home in Hungerford, West Berkshire. We provide residential care for older people and for younger adults, including people with a learning disability and people who are autistic, and we offer respite...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Notrees · 10 High Street, Hungerford, West Berkshire, RG17 9TW
Care home · CQC Good · Run by West Berkshire Council
Notrees is a residential care home in Hungerford, West Berkshire. We provide care for older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia and people with visual or hearing impairment, and we offer respite stays alongside...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
The Old Vicarage · The Vicarage, Hungerford, West Berkshire, RG17 0JB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Cygnet Care Services Limited
The Old Vicarage is a residential care home in Hungerford, West Berkshire, and we support adults with learning disabilities and autistic people, including younger adults working towards a more independent life. Respite stays are available...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Appletrees · Chapel Row, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG7 6PB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education Limited
Appletrees is a residential care home in Newbury in West Berkshire. We support adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, and we offer respite stays for people who usually live elsewhere. We run this as a home that people live...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Clifford House · 7 Leonardslee Crescent, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 2FB
Care home · Run by Essential Therapeutic Care and Education Limited
Clifford House is a residential care home in Newbury supporting adults, including younger adults, adults with learning disabilities and autism, and people who have sight or hearing loss. We also offer planned respite stays. The people who...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Kestrels · 84 Hambridge Road, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 5TA
Care home · CQC Good · Run by St. Anne's Opportunity Centre Limited
Kestrels is a residential care home in Newbury supporting adults with learning disabilities. We treat the house as belonging to the people who live in it, and we try to behave like people who are there to help rather than people who are in...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Willows Edge · Hutton Close, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 1HJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by West Berkshire Council
Willows Edge is a residential care home in Newbury providing a home for older people and for younger adults who need help with everyday life. We support people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities, and people with loss...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Winchcombe Place · Maple Crescent, Newbury, West Berkshire, RG14 1LN
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Care UK Community Partnerships Ltd
Winchcombe Place is a residential care home in Newbury, West Berkshire. We are home to older people and to younger adults who need support with daily life, including people living with dementia, people with mental health conditions and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
30 Broad Lane · Upper Bucklebury, Reading, West Berkshire, RG7 6QJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
30 Broad Lane is a small residential care home in Reading providing a home for adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults, older people and younger adults. Being small is deliberate. It means the people living here know each other...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Acorn House · 20 Huckleberry Close, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8EH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Purley Park Trust Limited
Acorn House is a residential care home in West Berkshire, near Reading. We support older people and younger adults, including adults who have a learning disability and autistic adults, and we offer respite stays for people who need care...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Boxgrove House · Littlehealth Road, Reading, West Berkshire, RG31 5TY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education Limited
Boxgrove House is a residential care home in Reading, supporting adults who have a learning disability and adults who are autistic. We are a small home, which is what makes it possible to know each person properly and to support them in...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Braeburn Lodge · Bath Road, Reading, West Berkshire, RG7 5JB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Milkwood Care Ltd
Braeburn Lodge is a residential care home in Reading supporting a broad range of adults. Many of our residents are older people, including those living with dementia, and we also support adults with mental health needs, people with a...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Dimensions 43 Clayhill Road · 43 Clayhill Road, Reading, West Berkshire, RG7 3HF
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Dimensions (UK) Limited
We at Dimensions 43 Clayhill Road are proud to offer specialist residential care in Reading, supporting adults living with learning disabilities and autism within a warm, welcoming home environment. Nestled in the West Berkshire community,...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Duncan House · 18 Huckleberry Close, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8EH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Purley Park Trust Limited
Duncan House is a residential care home in Reading providing a home for older people, for younger adults, and for adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. Having that mix living together works better than people sometimes...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Elizabeth House · 14 Huckleberry Close, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8EH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Purley Park Trust Limited
Elizabeth House is a residential care home in West Berkshire, near Reading. We support older people and younger adults, including adults who have a learning disability and autistic adults, and we offer respite stays for people who need...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Friends Place · The Chase, Reading, West Berkshire, RG31 7DW
Care home · Run by Friends of the Elderly
Here at Friends Place, we provide residential care for a range of people across our home in Reading, West Berkshire. We welcome older adults, younger adults, and people living with dementia, as well as those managing a physical disability...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Kathleen House · 9 Ragdale, Reading, West Berkshire, RG7 3NG
Care home · Run by Essential Therapeutic Care and Education Limited
Kathleen House is a residential care home in Reading supporting younger adults, including people with a learning disability, autistic people and people living with mental health needs. This is a house where adults live, not a unit where...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults
Little Heath Court · Little Heath Road, Reading, West Berkshire, RG31 5TY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education Limited
We at Little Heath Court are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in Reading, providing specialist support for adults with learning disabilities and autism. Nestled within the West Berkshire area, our home combines the...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Just Homes - 3 New Hill · 3 New Hill, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8AY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs P M Eales
Just Homes at New Hill in Reading is a small residential care home supporting a mixed group of adults. Some of the people living here are older and need help with the practical parts of the day. Others are younger adults with a learning...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Oaklands · 5 The Green, Reading, West Berkshire, RG7 5DR
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Here at Oaklands, we provide residential care for adults in the heart of Reading, West Berkshire, and we are proud to support some of the people who need it most. Our team works closely with individuals who have learning disabilities or...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Parry House · 15 Huckleberry Close, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8EH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Purley Park Trust Limited
Parry House is a residential care home in Reading supporting older people and adults with a learning disability or autism, including younger adults. We also offer respite stays. We plan around individuals rather than groups, which is what...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Purley House · 20 Wintringham Way, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8BG
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Calcot Services For Children Limited
Purley House is a residential home near Reading supporting adults with a learning disability, autistic adults, and people living with mental health conditions. Many of the people here are younger adults, and we offer respite stays...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Roebuck Rise · 10 Roebuck Rise, Reading, West Berkshire, RG31 6TP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Calcot Services For Children Limited
Here at Roebuck Rise, we provide residential care for people in the heart of Reading, West Berkshire. We specialise in supporting younger adults, including those living with a learning disability or autism, and we also offer respite care...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Rowan Cottage · Sulhamstead Road, Reading, West Berkshire, RG30 3SB
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education Limited
Rowan Cottage is a residential care home in Reading, West Berkshire, supporting adults with a learning disability or autism. We also offer respite stays for people who need support for a shorter period or whose usual carer needs a break....
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Slade House · 17 Huckleberry Close, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8EH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Purley Park Trust Limited
Slade House is a residential care home in Reading, West Berkshire, supporting adults with a learning disability or autism. We support both younger adults and older people, and we offer respite stays for those who need support for a shorter...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Stoneham Grove Care Home · Long Lane, Reading, West Berkshire, RG31 5UG
Care home · Run by Barchester Healthcare Homes Limited
Here at Stoneham Grove Care Home in Reading, West Berkshire, we provide a warm and homely environment where the people in our care genuinely feel settled, valued and supported. We are a residential care home, and everything we do centres...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Younger Adults, Respite Care
The Coombe House · The Coombe, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 9QL
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by Mrs C Windebank and Mrs S Howard
The Coombe House is a residential care home in Reading, West Berkshire, offering a settled and comfortable home for older people who are finding it hard to manage on their own. We think of this as a home before anything else. People choose...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
Watson House · 12 Huckleberry Close, Reading, West Berkshire, RG8 8EH
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Purley Park Trust Limited
Watson House is a residential care home in Reading, in West Berkshire, supporting adults with a learning disability and autistic adults, including younger adults, alongside older people. We also offer respite stays. This is somewhere...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
1-2 Prior's Court Cottages · Prior's Court Road, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9JT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Prior's Court Foundation
We are a pair of residential cottages at Prior's Court near Thatcham, supporting autistic adults and adults with learning disabilities. Most of those living here are younger adults, and we also offer respite stays. Being small is the most...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
3-4 Priors Court Cottages · Priors Court Road, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9JT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Prior's Court Foundation
Priors Court Cottages at Thatcham is a small residential setting for adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, most of them younger adults, and we also offer respite stays. The cottages are deliberately small, because for many...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
5-6 Prior's Court Cottages: Bradbury House · Prior's Court Road, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9JT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Prior's Court Foundation
Bradbury House, at Prior's Court Cottages near Thatcham, is a residential care home for adults with a learning disability and autistic adults, including younger adults building a life of their own. It is a house, run as a home, and the...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Chaffinches · 108 Paynesdown Road, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG19 3TE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by St. Anne's Opportunity Centre Limited
We are Chaffinches, a small residential care home in Thatcham, West Berkshire. We support adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, and we also offer respite stays. Being a small house is the point of us. It means the people...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Charlotte House · 4 Charlotte Close, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9TU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Prior's Court Foundation
We at Charlotte House are proud to offer dedicated residential care in the welcoming town of Thatcham, West Berkshire. Our home provides a supportive and nurturing environment for younger adults living with learning disabilities and...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Dimensions Baily Thomas House Haysoms Drive · Baily Thomas House, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG19 8EX
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Dimensions (UK) Limited
Baily Thomas House on Haysoms Drive, part of Dimensions, is a residential care home in Thatcham, West Berkshire, and we support adults with learning disabilities and autistic people. Respite stays are available as well. We are a household...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Newton House · 404 London Road, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 3AA
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Achieve Together Limited
We are Newton House, a residential care home in Thatcham, West Berkshire. We support adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, and people with physical disabilities, including younger adults. Respite stays are available. Our...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care

What care costs in South East, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care Middle half of prices from 107 South East homes. Median £1,600.	Varies by council	£1,500 to £1,809
Nursing care Middle half of prices from 63 South East homes. Median £1,933.	Varies by council	£1,617 to £2,080
Residential dementia care Middle half of prices from 82 South East homes. Median £1,709.	Not published separately	£1,571 to £1,942
Nursing dementia care Middle half of prices from 37 South East 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. What a council pays differs from council to council. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.