Retirement communities with care on site

Some retirement communities have meals, shared spaces and care available on site. When care comes with the home, the care is regulated in its own right.

What housing with care means

In its planning guidance for England, the government describes extra care housing, or housing-with-care. It is usually purpose-built or adapted flats or bungalows "with a medium to high level of care available if required, through an onsite care agency registered through the Care Quality Commission (CQC)".

The guidance says residents are able to live independently, with 24 hour access to support services and staff, and that meals are also available. It adds that some of these developments are known as retirement communities or villages.

Who registers the care

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates a type of care it calls personal care. This is care for people who are unable to provide it for themselves because of old age, illness or disability, given in the place where they live. CQC says this includes housing with care.

Sometimes a resident has to need and receive care as a condition of living in the home. CQC says that for the care service to be correctly registered, "there must be a real separation between the provision of personal care and the accommodation agreements".

Reading the care provider's report

CQC describes itself as the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It says it inspects a range of services that offer care in the home, and it rates services on a four-point scale.

A family can look up the care agency that works in a community on CQC's website and read its latest inspection report in full. CQC says people can use its inspection reports and ratings to help them understand the quality of care.

Your own care needs

Social services at your local council carry out a health and social care assessment to find out what help and support you need. GOV.UK says your local NHS service, Citizens Advice or a charity might be able to help you apply for one.

What the government's taskforce found

The Older People's Housing Taskforce reported in November 2024. It found some growth in private building of integrated retirement communities, with 2,000 units a year over the previous five years, compared with 400 a year over the five years before that.

The Taskforce wants older people and their families to have "a clear understanding of any fees and charges". It says developers and operators should share that information early in the decision.

Fees on a sale or a move

Many retirement leases require the owner to pay a fee on certain events, such as a sale or a change of occupancy. The Law Commission calls these "event fees".

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