There are a whole host of charities, organisations and care associations that can give guidance and support when looking for a care home and navigating life in residential care.

Here is a list of charities and organisations that may be relevant to you.

Care Regulators

Care Quality Commission (CQC)

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent health and social care regulator for England. It regulates and inspects care homes and nursing homes to check that they meet high standards of care.

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)

Care Inspectorate Wales CIW) is the independent regulator for social care and childcare in Wales. It regulates and inspects care homes and nursing homes to check the care settings meet high standards of care.

Care Inspectorate (CI)

Care Inspectorate (CI) is the independent health and social care regulator for Scotland. It regulates and inspects care homes and nursing homes to check that these care settings meet high standards of care.

Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA)

The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) is the independent body responsible for monitoring and inspecting the quality of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

Charities, associations and care organisations

Action for M.E.

Action for M.E. supports anyone who is living with or supporting someone with M.E./CFS of any age, anywhere in the UK. It has an M.E. friends online forum for adults and its M.E helpline 0117 927 9551.

Age UK

Age UK runs local Age UK branches that try and improve life for older people.

The charity runs day clubs. It also gives advice and support online and provides a free Age UK Advice Line for older people and their families on 0800 678 1602.

Alzheimer’s Research

Alzheimer’s Research is a charity focused on finding a cure for Alzheimer’s by fundraising research into dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society

The Alzheimer’s Society funds medical research to find a cure for dementia and improve dementia care. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there are local support services to help people living with dementia and those caring for them.  

It offers help and support through its factsheets, online forum Dementia Support Forum and its dementia support helpline 0333 150 3456.

Arthritis Action

The Arthritis Action charity offers help and advice to help people cope with the symptoms of arthritis. This includes, for example, advice on diet and nutrition. It also has an online forum for people with arthritis and offers access to clinical appointments.

Bipolar UK

Bipolar UK has a network of peer support groups (online and face-to-face) for people affected by bipolar, an online forum and one-to-one peer support via telephone and email. 

BRACE

BRACE is a charity that funds research into Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia to find better treatments, achieve earlier diagnosis and a cure. It supports researchers in South West England and South Wales.

British Deaf Association

The British Deaf Association offers advice and support including one-to-one support for a deaf person from a trained advocate and sign language courses for hearing families of deaf people.   

British Institute for Learning Difficulties

BILD helps those with learning difficulties by offering organisations good practice services such as accreditation and training, consultancy and guidance publications to help them better support people with learning difficulties.

British Society of Gerontology

The British Society of Gerontology aims to advance research and education into the study of ageing and older adults.

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research is a charity that funds scientists, doctors and nurses to research and help beat cancer. It offers an online cancer support forum, information and its confidential nurse helpline 0808 800 4040.      

Care England

Care England supports and represents care providers including care homes and not-for-profit voluntary organisations and associations.

Care Forum Wales

Care Forum Wales represents care homes and health and social care providers across Wales.

Care Rights UK

Care Rights UK gives advice and support to people using care services and their relatives and friends. It provides information about care costs, social care regulation, government policy and campaigns for improvements in care. Helpline: 020 7359 8136.

Care Workers Charity

The Care Workers Charity supports current and former care workers who have had paid work in the care sector by giving them crisis grants, if they need financial help e.g. due to an injury, bereavement etc. It also provides mental health support from qualified therapists for free.

Those who can benefit include ex and current staff in care homes, home care, supported living and day centres.

Carers UK

Carers UK gives advice, support and information to unpaid carers.

Carers who need to talk to someone, can call Carers UK helpline 0808 808 7777.

Cinnamon Trust

The Cinnamon Trust offers free care to pets if their owners have died or moved into a care home. If the owner has just gone into hospital temporarily, the charity finds the pet foster care until the owner is well enough to look after their pet again.

It offers voluntary dog walking support for owners (who are aged 65+ or terminally ill) who can no longer exercise their pets themselves. Eligible pet owners can call 01736 757900.  

Citizens Advice

The Citizens Advice Bureau gives the public advice and information on a variety of issues such as how to manage the cost of living, pay off debt, apply for grants and benefits to pay bills etc.

You can talk to a trained adviser online via its chat service or call its Advice line for England 0800 144 8848, Wales 0800 702 2020 or Scotland 0800 028 1456.

Cruse Bereavement Care

Cruse Bereavement Care offers advice, support and information to people grieving the death of someone. Helpline 0808 808 1677. 

Dementia UK

Dementia UK has specialist nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, who provide free advice, practical tips and emotional support to help families care for people with dementia. It has a free Dementia Helpline staffed by its dementia specialist Admiral Nurses on 0800 888 6678.

Diabetes UK

Diabetes UK gives advice and support to people living with diabetes and their families.

This includes an online forum and UK helpline 0345 123 2399 for people who are concerned they are at risk of diabetes, those who have diabetes and their family and friends.

Disability Rights UK

Disability Rights UK campaigns to improve the lives of people with disabilities, this includes working to influence government policy to reflect the needs of those with disabilities. It produces advice and guidance for people with disabilities to educate them about their rights.     

Friends of the Elderly

Friends of the Elderly provides care home and day care services and short-term respite care for older people, as well as grants for older people of state pension age, living on low incomes across England and Wales.

Headway

Headway aims to improve the lives of people with brain injury by providing support and information. This includes a freephone helpline, factsheets and publications to help people understand brain and an emergency fund to ease the financial impact of a brain injury. 

It also provides a Brain Injury Identity Card to help in everyday situations.  Headway 0808 800 2244.

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf trains hearing dogs to help support people with hearing loss in their daily lives. It trains dogs to alert deaf people to important and life-saving sounds they would otherwise miss.

It has Link UP support groups across the UK and a helpdesk which can be emailed helpdesk@hearinglink.org or phone 01844 348111.

Hourglass

Hourglass is a charity focused on preventing the abuse of older people. It supports older men, women and their families who are experiencing any of the five forms of abuse: physical, psychological, financial, sexual or neglect. 

It has a free 24/7 helpline: 0808 808 8141.

Independent Age

Independent Age has a helpline and expert advisers giving free, practical support to older people who are struggling financially. It runs a grant programme for local organisations that work directly with older people in the UK.

Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan Cancer Support can offer practical advice and support and emotional support.

Cancer nurses are available to speak via the free Macmillan Support Line, as well as welfare rights advisors, work support advisors and financial guidance experts to help people reduce the financial impact of cancer. The charity also provides Macmillan grants.     

Macmillan Support Line 0808 239 14 92.

Macular Society

Macular Society offers information and support to people with macular disease and their family and friends.  It has useful information online about living with macular disease as well as advice from professionals though its helpline.  Helpline: 0300 3030 111.

Marie Curie

Marie Curie provides hospice care and its ‘companions’ provide free emotional and practical support at home, in hospital or over the phone.

It provides Marie Curie nurses and offers a Support Line 0800 090 2309.

Mencap

Mencap aims to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities.  Advice and support on  topics related to learning disabilities e.g. transition to adulthood, social care, benefits, mental capacity etc. 

There is also an online forum and a learning disability helpline: 0808 808 1111/ helpline@mencap.org.uk.

MIND

MIND charity runs an Infoline offering confidential help, a legal line giving information on mental health law and information which is available online and in print.

National Care Association

The National Care Association represents small and medium-sized care providers and affiliated associations. Its members benefit from business and bulk purchase discounts, legal and employment advice, as well as guidance through regulatory and government policy issues.

National Care Forum

The National Care Forum (NCF) is a membership organisation for not-for-profit organisations in the care and support sector including care home providers. It campaigns as a voice for the care sector for improvements in government policies on social care.

National Care Helpline

The National Care Helpline provides support and information to older people, carers and their families. It provides help and assistance with a free helpline 0800 0699 784.

Parkinson’s UK

Parkinson’s UK provides advice and support to people with Parkinson’s and their families.This includes Parkinson’s advisors giving advice on medical issues, financial support etc. It has a free, confidential Parkinson’s support helpline 0808 800 0303.

Re-engage

Re-engage helps older people feel less alone in society by organising group activities, like tea parties, online or face to face across the country. It also offers a ‘Call companions’ telephone befriending service to people aged 75+.       

Samaritans

Samaritans is there for anyone who needs someone to talk to if they do not feel okay or are considering taking their own life. As well as advice and support on its website, Samaritans has a free helpline that you can call anytime 24 hours a day on 116 123.

Scope

Scope is a disability equality charity in England and Wales. It provides practical advice and emotional support to people with disabilities and their families. It has an online forum, runs charity shops and campaigns for better disability rights.  

Scottish Care

Scottish Care is a membership organisation representing independent social care providers in Scotland including providers of care homes, nursing care, day care, home care and housing support services. 

Skills for Care

Skills for Care aims to support social care leaders, employers and the social care workforce by driving improvements in the social care sector through quality training etc.   

Stroke Association

The Stroke Association supports stroke survivors in the UK. It provides support to people leaving hospital.

Its research helps improve treatments, care and rehabilitation to enable stroke survivors recover.  The association also runs a number of different types of peer support groups for people affected by stroke.

Young Dementia Network

The Young Dementia Network supports people with young onset dementia and their families. It is an online community known as the Network. The Young Dementia Network provides useful information and guidance about how people can get the support they need and manage day to day living with the condition.