How Current Are CQC Ratings for Dementia Care Providers in England?
We analysed CQC data on nearly 20,000 dementia care providers to find out how up-to-date their ratings really are.
CQC ratings are often the first thing families check when looking for dementia care. Many of those ratings are years out of date. We analysed CQC data on nearly 20,000 dementia care providers across England to see how current they really are.
What do the CQC ratings show?
Of the 19,982 providers in CQC's dataset, 62% hold a rating of Good or Outstanding. A further 12% are rated Requires Improvement or Inadequate. The remaining 25%, around 5,000 providers, have no published CQC rating at all.
On the surface, those numbers look broadly positive. The majority of providers meet or exceed CQC standards. But the age of those ratings tells a different story.
How old are CQC ratings?
The median age of an Outstanding rating is 6.3 years. For Good, it's 4.7 years. Even Requires Improvement and Inadequate ratings, where you might expect more frequent follow-up, have a median age of 3.4 and 3.6 years respectively.
Across all providers with a known inspection date, 82% were last inspected more than 3 years ago. 41% were last inspected more than 5 years ago. The oldest rating in the dataset dates back over 14 years.
Staff turnover, changes in management, and shifting resident needs all affect quality of care. A rating from 2019 or 2020 may say very little about the care being delivered today.
Are things improving?
CQC has acknowledged the backlog. The regulator is working to complete 9,000 assessments by September 2026 and carried out 50% more inspections in November 2025 compared to November 2024.
What can families do in the meantime?
CQC ratings remain a useful starting point, but they work best alongside other information: visiting in person, speaking to staff, reading recent reviews, and checking what specialisms a provider actually offers.
That's why we built Care for Dementia. It combines CQC data on dementia care providers across England so families can filter by location, service type, and rating without visiting multiple sites.
Where to Get More Help
These resources can help you research care providers:
- Care for Dementia directory: search over 20,000 CQC-registered dementia care providers across England
- CQC: check inspection ratings and read full reports on any provider
- Alzheimer's Society: 0333 150 3456, advice on finding and comparing care providers
You may also wish to read our guide on how CQC ratings work and where to check them for a fuller explanation of the inspection process and what each rating means.
This article is for general information only and is not clinical, legal, or financial advice. Please consult a qualified professional for advice specific to your situation.
Related guides
Understanding Care Home Fees: What's Typically Included
An overview of care home costs in England: what fees typically cover, how funding works, top-up fees, and where to get financial guidance.
How CQC Ratings Work and Where to Check Them
A guide to CQC ratings: what the four ratings mean, the five key questions inspectors assess, how inspections work, and where to check a provider's rating.
Questions to Ask When Visiting a Care Home
A practical checklist of questions to ask when visiting a care home, covering staffing, dementia-specific care, daily life, costs, communication, and what to observe during your visit.