How to Get an Elderly Parent into a Care Home: A Practical Guide

Topic cluster: Finding & Choosing a Care Home | Reading time: 7 min

Getting a parent into a care home is rarely a single moment — it is a process that unfolds over weeks, sometimes months. Understanding the steps, the people involved, and the potential obstacles helps you navigate it with more confidence and less panic.

Who Arranges a Care Home Place?

There are two routes into a care home:

Arranged by the family (self-funded) If your parent will be funding their own care — because their savings and assets exceed the local authority threshold (£23,250 in England in 2026) — you can arrange a care home place directly with the home of your choice. No council involvement is required, though a care needs assessment is still worthwhile.

Arranged via the local council If your parent may be entitled to local authority funding, the council's adult social care team becomes involved. They carry out a care needs assessment and, if a care home is deemed appropriate, a financial assessment to determine funding eligibility. The council will then commission care at a home they approve.

Step 1: Request a Care Needs Assessment

This is the starting point regardless of which route you take. A care needs assessment is:

Free for anyone who requests one
Carried out by the local council's adult social care team (or a commissioned organisation)
The official way of establishing what support your parent needs
The gateway to council-funded care and services

Contact your parent's local council directly and ask for an adult social care assessment. Most councils have an online form or a referral line.

If your parent is already in hospital, the hospital's discharge team (often including a social worker) will initiate a care needs assessment as part of planning for discharge. This is often the fastest route to a care home for people coming from hospital.

Step 2: The Assessment Process

A social worker or occupational therapist will assess your parent — in person or by phone/video. They will ask about:

Daily living tasks (washing, dressing, eating, mobility)
Cognitive function and any diagnoses (dementia, stroke, etc.)
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Home environment and any risks
Family support available

They will then determine whether a care home is appropriate and, if so, what type.

You can be present at the assessment if your parent wishes. If your parent struggles to express their views, they can have an advocate.

Step 3: The Financial Assessment

If your parent may be entitled to council funding, a financial assessment follows. The council will assess:

Savings and investments
Income (State Pension, private pension, benefits)
Property value (if your parent would be moving into a care home and no eligible person such as a spouse remains in the property)

England thresholds (2026/2027):

Above £23,250 → self-funder
£14,250 – £23,250 → partial council funding
Below £14,250 → full council funding

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have different thresholds — see our dedicated guides.

Step 4: Finding and Choosing a Home

If your parent is council-funded, the council has a legal duty to identify at least one suitable care home within their personal budget. You retain the right to choose a different home, but if it costs more than the council's rate, a top-up fee must be paid by a third party (a family member or charity — your parent cannot pay their own top-up from their personal allowance).

If your parent is self-funding, you choose any home that meets their needs and has availability.

Practical tips for the search:

Check CQC ratings (cqc.org.uk) — aim for Good or Outstanding
Visit in person before making a final decision
Ask about care availability for your parent's specific needs
Check the home can accommodate your parent's needs as they change

Step 5: What Happens in an Emergency?

If your parent cannot go home safely from hospital (following a fall, illness, or medical episode), the hospital discharge team will often push for a rapid care home placement. This can feel rushed.

Your rights in this situation:

You have the right to visit homes before agreeing to a placement
The hospital should not discharge your parent to an unsafe situation, though there can be pressure to free up beds
The council must arrange care urgently if your parent has a qualifying need
Emergency placements can be reviewed and changed once your parent is settled

Step 6: Moving In

Once a home is agreed:

Provide detailed information — medical history, current medications, care plan, dietary needs, cultural and religious preferences, life history
Help personalise the room — familiar photos, objects, and belongings make a significant difference to settling in
Visit frequently in the first few weeks — the settling-in period is important, and your presence is reassuring
Maintain communication with the care team — ask about a key worker for your parent

What If Your Parent Refuses to Go?

This is one of the most common and difficult situations families face. If your parent has mental capacity (they understand the decision and its implications), they have the right to refuse care — even if you believe they are at risk.

Options include:

Continuing to explore whether home care can safely manage their needs
Having an honest conversation about what staying at home means in practice
Asking the GP or community team to raise the issue independently

If your parent lacks mental capacity, decisions must be made in their best interests under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, usually involving the GP, social worker, and potentially a court-appointed deputy if there is no Lasting Power of Attorney in place.

Search care homes in your area at homeformum.com