Arranging care in Reading
Reading Borough Council serves the town of Reading in the South East of England, covering neighbourhoods from Caversham and Tilehurst to Whitley, Southcote and central Reading. As a busy urban area on the Thames, it has a well established mix of care providers supporting older residents and adults with disabilities across the borough.
Because Reading is a Unitary Authority, the council is the single point of contact for adult social care, rather than services being split between district and county tiers. Families usually begin by contacting Reading Borough Council's adult social care team, who arrange a free needs assessment to look at how a person manages daily life, their health, mobility and any support already in place from family or carers. If eligible needs are identified, a financial assessment follows to work out what, if anything, the person contributes towards their care based on their income and savings.
Local care options and choice
There are around 97 CQC-registered care homes in and around Reading, giving families a reasonable choice when comparing residential care homes and nursing homes across different parts of the borough. Alongside these, a wide range of home care agencies operate locally, supporting people who want to stay in their own homes in areas such as Earley, Caversham and Tilehurst.
Care costs and funding
Funding can come from the local authority following the financial assessment, from NHS Continuing Healthcare where health needs are primary, or from personal funds. In the Reading area, typical weekly costs are around £20 to £30 per hour for home care, roughly £1,100 to £1,400 a week for residential care homes, and about £1,300 to £1,700 a week for nursing homes, depending on the provider and level of need.
If you are just starting out, contacting Reading Borough Council for an assessment is a sensible first step, even if you expect to pay privately, as it helps clarify needs and the options available.
