Which care homes in Dover does this page cover?

Thirty four residential care homes match this search, including Wolverton Court, Clifford House Residential Care Home, White Cliffs Lodge and Ravenna Lodge among others. Each provider has its own profile setting out registration details and the outcome of its most recent CQC inspection. Since the judgements vary noticeably across the group, those profiles are the practical route from a long list to a workable shortlist. Filter by location first, then read the reports before deciding where to visit.

How does a residential care home differ from a nursing home?

A residential care home provides somewhere to live along with personal care, meaning help with washing, dressing, meals, medication and the ordinary business of the day. A nursing home offers all of that and in addition keeps registered nurses on duty around the clock for clinical care such as wound management or complex medication. Every provider listed on this page holds a residential registration rather than a nursing one. Where clinical needs already exist or seem likely to develop, starting the search among nursing homes usually spares the family a second move.

What should I ask when visiting a care home in Dover?

Begin with staffing, asking how many are on duty by day and overnight, how many are permanent rather than agency, and how long the manager has been in charge. Ask what an ordinary day involves, how activities are decided and what is offered to a resident who would rather stay in their own room. Ask how the home keeps families informed when circumstances change and how it has handled complaints recently. Close by asking what would happen if the person's needs outgrew what the home is registered to provide.

How do I arrange a care needs assessment in Dover?

Contact Kent County Council and ask its adult social care team to carry out a needs assessment for the person concerned. The request can come from them, from a relative or friend, or from a GP or hospital discharge team. A practitioner will then go through daily routines, the tasks that have become harder and the risks that have appeared, before issuing a written record of needs. Keep that record, because it is what you will refer back to whenever you consider a particular home.

Can Kent County Council fund a care home placement?

It can, where the needs assessment finds that residential care is appropriate and the financial assessment shows the person meets the eligibility rules. Income, savings and any property are all taken into account, and the outcome determines whether the council pays in full, contributes part of the cost, or pays nothing. Completing both assessments is sensible even when funding privately, since it clarifies the position if savings later reduce. Where health needs predominate, the funding route may be NHS continuing healthcare instead.

How soon should the search begin in Dover?

Starting before matters become pressing is what keeps genuine choice available, because well regarded homes frequently hold waiting lists and the right room seldom falls vacant on cue. Where a move can be planned, a few months allows time to visit properly, read the inspection reports and return for a second look with clearer eyes. Where a hospital discharge or a sudden decline forces the pace, ask the social care team what temporary arrangements are possible rather than deciding under pressure. Even a brief but deliberate search beats accepting the first place offered.

Care Homes in Dover

Dover has 34 CQC registered care homes. 23 are rated Good, 3 Outstanding, 5 Requires improvement, and 3 have not yet been rated. 23 of the 34 were last inspected more than three years ago.

Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.

Dover at a glance

What the local numbers say about care for older people in Dover, to help you judge the options below.

Kent County Council pays, residential care: £1,187 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,409 to £1,600, median £1,500
Care home beds filled across Kent: 88%. The 12 month average is 88%.
Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 75. Kent average is 77.
People aged 75 and over: 15,300. Rising to 18,000 by 2035, up 18%
Care homes, last 12 months: 0 opened, 1 closed. 1 changed owner, covering 21 beds.
Who pays, across Kent (estimate): 35% council, 43% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 2,000. Rising to 2,500 by 2035, up 27%
People aged 85 and over: 3,800. Rising to 5,800 by 2035, up 53%

Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.

Weighing Up Care Homes in Dover and What to Look For

Registration First

All thirty four providers listed here hold a residential registration, which covers accommodation together with personal care: help with washing and dressing, meals, medication support and the ordinary rhythm of the day, with staff on duty overnight. Clinical nursing falls outside it. Settling early on whether the difficulties are practical or medical narrows the search at once and prevents a good deal of fruitless visiting.

What the Reports Add to the Ratings

Judgements here run from Outstanding down to Requires Improvement, with three homes not yet rated, so the rating is a useful first sort but a crude one. The inspection report carries the detail: staffing observed on the day, whether call bells were answered without delay, how medicines were managed, the way residents were spoken to and involved in decisions, and whether earlier concerns had been properly resolved. Where a home is marked Requires Improvement, the report names the specific failings and says whether the provider had already begun acting on them, which often tells you more than the label does. For homes without a rating, usually recent registrations, ask about the manager and what they ran previously.

Seeing the Home for Yourself

Arrange to visit while the home is at its busiest, around a mealtime for preference, and if a second visit is possible, choose a quieter hour when fewer staff are on. Watch whether residents look occupied rather than merely seated, whether staff greet people by name, and how long anyone waits once they have asked for help. Ask about the overnight rota, the proportion of permanent staff to agency cover, and how long the manager has been in post. Consider the practical side as well, from how easily relatives can get there to whether the building suits someone who walks with difficulty.

Setting Up an Assessment and Meeting the Cost in Dover

The Care Needs Assessment

Anyone who appears to need support may ask for a care needs assessment, and the entitlement does not turn on what they have saved. A practitioner considers what has become difficult, what risks have emerged and what support would make a genuine difference, then records the conclusions in writing. That document then underpins every conversation that follows, not least when a manager assures you their home can meet the needs described.

Working Out Who Pays

A financial assessment then examines income, savings and property against the national thresholds. Kent County Council Adult Social Care handles both assessments and arranges a funded place where someone qualifies. If health needs rather than social ones are driving matters, NHS continuing healthcare may be the appropriate route, assessed against its own criteria. Even families intending to fund privately gain from completing the process, since it puts the needs formally on record ahead of any change in circumstances.

Fees and What Falls Outside Them

Weekly charges differ between homes and between rooms within one home, shaped by the room itself and the level of support agreed. Ask for a written schedule separating the core fee from extras such as hairdressing, chiropody or trips out, and ask how often fees are reviewed and what notice of an increase you would receive.

34 care homes in Dover

Felbrigg House · St Alphege Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 2PU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Elysium Care Partnerships No 2 Limited
We at Felbrigg House are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in Dover, Kent, where adults with learning disabilities, autism, and younger adults can truly feel at home. Our focus is on providing personalised...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Enham Trust – Care Home Service (Michael & William Houses) · Macallum Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6JR
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Enham Trust
At Enham Trust Care Home in Andover, Hampshire, we support adults with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities and younger adults who need residential care or short term respite stays. We are made up of two houses, Michael...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Ivy Bank Residential Care Home · Wellington Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 3DB
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Ivybank Health Care Limited
We at Ivy Bank Residential Care Home offer warm, dedicated residential and dementia care in the heart of Dover, Kent. Our home has been thoughtfully created to provide a safe, welcoming environment where older people can feel truly at...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Walker House · 14 Silchester Close, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3RL
Care home · Run by Liaise (South) Limited
We at Walker House are proud to offer compassionate residential care in the welcoming town of Andover, Hampshire. Our home has been thoughtfully created as a place where older people, younger adults, and individuals with learning...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Homewood Care Home · Enham Lane, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 4AN
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Hampshire County Council
Homewood is a residential care home in Andover, Hampshire, supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. Respite stays are part of what we do. Being a small house means real familiarity. It also means we say honestly...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Alandale Residential Home · 9 The Drove, Dover, Kent, CT16 3JB
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Mr Paul Maple
We at Alandale Residential Home offer dedicated older person care in the heart of Dover, Kent, providing a warm and welcoming place that residents are proud to call home. As a residential care home set within this historic coastal town, we...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
Arbory Residential Home · London Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6LR
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Coate Water Care (Arbory) Limited
We are a residential care home in Andover, Hampshire, looking after older people and younger adults who need care and support they can no longer manage at home. Among those living here are people with dementia, people with a mental health...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Whitfield · 107 Sandwich Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 3JP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Whitfield Care Home Limited
Whitfield is a residential care home on the edge of Dover in Kent, caring for older people, including many who are living with dementia. We offer permanent residential care and shorter respite stays, so we are able to help when a family...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Clifford House Residential Care Home · Clifford House, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 3AD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mr Roopesh Ramful
Clifford House Residential Care Home is in Andover, Hampshire, providing residential care for older people, including people living with dementia. We also welcome guests for respite stays. We run the home the way a household runs. People...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Reddington House · 2 Park Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT16 1ER
Care home · CQC Good · Run by LDC Care Company Ltd
We at Reddington House are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the heart of Dover, Kent, where every resident is treated as a valued individual. Our home provides specialist residential care for adults with...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Woodside Residential Care Home · Whitfield Hill, Dover, Kent, CT16 3BE
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Charing Way Limited
We at Woodside Residential Care Home are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the historic coastal town of Dover, Kent. Our home has been thoughtfully created to feel like a true home from home, where every resident...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Twyford House · Whitfield Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT16 2AG
Care home · CQC Requires improvement · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Twyford House is a residential care home in Dover, supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. Most of those living here are younger adults, and we also offer respite stays. We treat this as somebody's home rather...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Avondale Castlemount Lodge · Castle Mount Lodge, Dover, Kent, CT16 1SG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Avondalecare (Kent) Limited
We at Avondale Castlemount Lodge are proud to offer a welcoming residential care home in the heart of Dover, providing personalised residential care for adults with a wide range of needs. Nestled within the historic coastal town of Dover...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Thorndene · Canterbury Road, Dover, Kent, CT15 7HZ
Care home · Run by Thorndene Limited
Thorndene is a residential care home in Dover supporting older people, adults with a learning disability, autistic adults and people with physical disabilities. Many of the people here are younger adults, and we offer respite stays...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Physical Disability, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Swerford House · The Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT16 3AW
Care home · CQC Good · Run by High Quality Lifestyles Limited
At Swerford House, we provide residential care for adults in the heart of Dover, Kent. We support people with learning disabilities and autism, and we also offer respite care for those who need a short break or whose families need some...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Lime Court Care Home · Lime Avenue, Dovercourt, Essex, CO12 4DE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Dovercourt Healthcare Limited
Lime Court Care Home is in Dovercourt, Essex. We provide residential care for older people who have reached the point where living alone has become difficult, and caring for people living with dementia is a large part of what we do. We are...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
St. Michaels · 166 London Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 3DE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by High Quality Lifestyles Limited
We are St Michaels, a small residential care home in Dover, Kent. We support adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, and we also offer respite stays. Being small is deliberate. It means the people who live here are not...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Rhodelands · Babbs Lane, Doveridge, Derbyshire, DE6 5JT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Rhodelands is a residential home in Doveridge, Derbyshire, for adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, including younger adults. We offer planned respite stays as well as longer placements. This is somebody's home before it...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Hillbrow · 150 Crabble Hill, Dover, Kent, CT17 0SE
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Voyage 1 Limited
Hillbrow provides residential care in Dover for adults, including younger adults, adults with learning disabilities and autism, and people with mental health needs. We also offer planned respite stays. The people who live here are adults...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Ravenna Lodge · East Anton Farm Road, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 6RD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Community Homes of Intensive Care and Education Limited
Ravenna Lodge is a residential care home in Andover, caring for older people who can no longer manage safely on their own, and supporting people managing mental health conditions and younger adults. We aim for the feel of a household...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Mental Health, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Little Glen · 60 Church Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9LS
Care home · CQC Good · Run by LDC Care Company Ltd
Little Glen is a residential care home in Dover supporting adults with a learning disability or autism, with respite stays available alongside permanent places. We are a small household and we like it that way. It means nobody here is one...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Alexander House · 140-142 Folkestone Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9SP
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Nicholas James Care Homes Ltd
We at Alexander House - Dover are proud to offer a warm and welcoming residential care home in the heart of Dover, Kent, where older people can enjoy comfort, companionship, and truly personalised care. Nestled within the historic coastal...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Turning Point - LD Residential – Lenacre Avenue · 1 Lenacre Avenue, Dover, Kent, CT16 3HH
Care home · Run by Turning Point
Lenacre Avenue in Dover is a small residential home run by Turning Point, supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, including younger adults and older people. We also offer respite stays. People live here for years...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Brambling House · 46 Eythorne Road, Dover, Kent, CT15 7PG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Gem Holistic Care Ltd
Brambling House is a residential care home in Dover, Kent. We are a permanent home to older people, and we also offer respite stays for those needing care for a short period or whose family carer needs a break. Most of our residents need...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Brambling Lodge · 48 Eythorne Road, Dover, Kent, CT15 7PG
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Gem Holistic Care Ltd
Brambling Lodge is a residential care home in Dover in Kent. We provide a home for older people who need support with daily living, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities and people living with sight or...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care
Riverlea House · 105B-107 Lower Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 0QY
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Riverlea Care Limited
Riverlea House is a residential care home in Dover, Kent, offering a settled and comfortable home for older people who can no longer manage easily on their own. We are not a large place, and that shapes how it feels. Staff know everybody...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care
United Response - 1 St Alphege Road · 1 St Alphege, Dover, Kent, CT16 2PU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by United Response
We at United Response 1 St Alphege Road are proud to offer a welcoming residential care home in the heart of Dover, Kent, where adults living with mental health needs can find a safe, supportive and homely place to thrive. Our setting...
Specialisms: Mental Health, Respite Care
White Cliffs Lodge · Primrose Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 0JA
Care home · CQC Good · Run by White Cliffs Lodge Limited
White Cliffs Lodge is a residential home in Dover, Kent. We support adults with a learning disability, autistic adults, and adults living with a mental health condition, and we offer respite stays as well as permanent places. This is...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Respite Care
The Glen · 162 Folkestone Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 9SN
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by LDC Care Company Ltd
The Glen is a residential care home in Dover supporting adults with a learning disability and autistic adults. We are a home rather than a facility, and the people living here are supported to run their own lives as far as they are able....
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Wolverton Court · Alkham Valley Road, Dover, Kent, CT15 7DS
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by High Quality Lifestyles Limited
We at Wolverton Court are proud to offer a welcoming residential care home in Dover, Kent, where adults with learning disabilities and autism find a genuinely supportive place to call home. Our specialist residential care is thoughtfully...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Respite Care
Ashingham House · London Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 3DJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Ashingham House Limited
Ashingham House is a residential care home in Dover supporting adults with learning disabilities, autistic adults, and people living with mental health conditions. We treat the house as belonging to the people who live in it. They arrange...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Respite Care
55 Sandwich Road · 55 Sandwich Road, Dover, Kent, CT16 3LT
Care home · CQC Good · Run by High Quality Lifestyles Limited
We are a residential care home on Sandwich Road in Dover, supporting older people and adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults. We are home to younger adults as well as older ones, and we offer respite stays. We are a small...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care
Laureston House Residential Home · Laureston House, Dover, Kent, CT16 1QU
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Laureston House Limited
Laureston House is a residential care home in Dover, Kent. We are home to older people, including many living with dementia, and we offer respite stays for families who need a planned break. What we promise is modest and we try to deliver...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care
Chitty Barn · Chittys Barn, Dover, Kent, CT16 1EU
Care home · CQC Outstanding · Run by LDC Care Company Ltd
Chitty Barn is a residential care home in Dover, and we support a wider range of people than most homes take on. Older people who need help with daily living, including those living with dementia. Adults with learning disabilities and...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Learning Disability / Autism, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Younger Adults, Respite Care

What care costs in Kent, per week

Type of care	What the council pays	What self-funders are typically asked
Residential care Middle half of prices from 22 Kent homes. Median £1,500.	£1,187	£1,409 to £1,600
Nursing care Middle half of prices from 11 Kent homes. Median £1,605.	£1,378	£1,550 to £1,865
Residential dementia care Middle half of prices from 18 Kent homes. Median £1,500.	Not published separately	£1,500 to £1,619
Nursing dementia care South East figure, because too few Kent homes publish this price. 37 homes. Median £2,050.	Not published separately	£1,975 to £2,226

Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price. Powered by Orrery Intelligence.

Inspected most recently

Alandale Residential Home, 16 September 2026, Requires improvement
Ashingham House, 15 September 2026, Good
Arbory Residential Home, 8 July 2026, Requires improvement

Longest since a report

Felbrigg House, 24 August 2017, Good
Reddington House, 30 November 2017, Good
Chitty Barn, 17 March 2018, Outstanding

Frequently asked questions about care homes in Dover

How many care homes are there in Dover?

Dover has 34 CQC registered care homes: 3 Outstanding, 23 Good, 5 Requires improvement, 3 not yet rated. Counts come from the CQC register and are kept up to date as ratings change.

How much does a care home cost in Dover?

Kent County Council pays an average of £1,187 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,409 to £1,600 a week. Middle half of prices from 22 Kent homes. Median £1,500. Published prices are often starting prices, and come from homes that publish fees, so treat them as a guide. Ask the home for its own price.

Which care homes in Dover were inspected most recently?

Alandale Residential Home (16 September 2026), Ashingham House (15 September 2026) and Arbory Residential Home (8 July 2026) have the most recent CQC reports.