Care Homes in Swanage
Swanage has 5 CQC registered care homes. 4 are rated Good, and 1 has not yet been rated. 2 of the 5 were last inspected more than three years ago.
Source: Care Quality Commission register, kept up to date as ratings change.
Swanage at a glance
What the local numbers say about care for older people in Swanage, to help you judge the options below.
- Dorset Council pays, residential care: £1,156 a week. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650, median £1,549
- Care home beds filled across Dorset: 83%. The 12 month average is 83%.
- Care home beds per 1,000 people aged 75+: 59
- People aged 75 and over: 66,500. Rising to 78,700 by 2035, up 18%
- Care homes, last 12 months: 1 opened, 1 closed. 9 changed owner, covering 422 beds.
- Who pays, across Dorset (estimate): 33% council, 57% self. The rest is NHS funded or other.
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 8,600. Rising to 11,000 by 2035, up 28%
- People aged 85 and over: 17,900. Rising to 27,800 by 2035, up 55%
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, CQC register), published care home prices, council planning records.
What residential care in Swanage involves and what to look for
Residential care is a narrower offering than most families assume, and knowing its boundaries early prevents wasted visits. It means a permanent room, meals, laundry and personal care from staff on duty at every hour, delivered by a service registered and inspected by the Care Quality Commission. It does not include nursing on site, which is a separate registration and a separate decision. All five homes serving Swanage are registered for residential care.
What the inspection record shows
Walc House, Gainsborough Care Home, Clifftop Care Home and Heathcote Care Home are rated Good, while Dragonfly Care Home has not yet been rated. Open each report and read the sections individually rather than resting on the overall judgement, because a home can be rated Good while being noticeably stronger on care than on leadership, or the reverse. Note how recently each inspection took place. Where no rating has been published, the home is generally newly registered, so ask about the registered manager's experience and whether you can speak to a relative of an existing resident.
What to look for when you visit
Go at a busy hour rather than a quiet one, and notice whether residents are occupied or simply sitting. Ask how many carers are on duty overnight, how long the registered manager has been in post, and how many permanent staff have left over the past year. Look at the food, the laundry arrangements and whether people can get outside without having to ask twice. Watch how staff speak to the people already living there, because that reveals more than any brochure.
Getting an assessment and arranging the funding
Fees cannot be settled until the level of need is written down and the household finances have been looked at. Both steps are free.
Requesting a care needs assessment
You can ask for an assessment on your own behalf or for a relative who consents, and the right to one does not depend on income or savings. The assessor looks at washing, dressing, eating, medication, mobility, continence and how safe the current arrangement really is, then produces a written support plan. Ask for a copy, because every home will want to see it. If a hospital discharge is setting the pace, say so, as assessments can be brought forward.
Who pays, and how much
Assessments and funded placements in Swanage are handled by Dorset Council Adult Social Care, which carries out a financial assessment alongside the needs assessment to establish the household contribution. Income, savings and usually the value of a property are all taken into account, and anyone with capital above the upper threshold pays privately at the outset. Where the council does fund a placement it pays up to a set rate, and a home charging more may look for a contribution from a third party. Weekly fees differ by home and by room, so ask for a written schedule showing what the charge covers and when it was last reviewed.
5 care homes in Swanage
- Walc House · 1 Springfield Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1HD
Care home · CQC Good · Run by WALC Limited
Here at Walc House, we provide residential care for younger adults with learning disabilities and autism, in the heart of Swanage, Dorset. We are proud to have received a "Good" rating from the Care Quality Commission, which reflects the...
Specialisms: Learning Disability / Autism, Younger Adults, Respite Care - Dragonfly Care Home · 56 High Street, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 3HB
Care home · Run by Trusted Care Homes Limited
We are Dragonfly, a residential care home in Swanage caring for older people, including many who are living with dementia. We have tried to keep the feel of a house rather than an institution. People bring their own furniture and pictures,...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Respite Care - Gainsborough Care Home · 53 Ulwell Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1LQ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Gainsborough Care Home Limited
Gainsborough Care Home is a residential care home in Swanage providing care for older people, including people living with dementia, people with physical disabilities, people with loss of sight or hearing, and people living with mental...
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Dementia Care, Mental Health, Physical Disability, Visual / Hearing Impairment, Respite Care - Clifftop Care Home · 8 Burlington Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1LS
Care home · CQC Good · Run by 5 Star TLC Limited
Clifftop Care Home is in Swanage, Dorset, and we provide residential care for older people who have reached the point where living alone has become difficult. We are clear about what we are and what we are not. This is not a nursing home....
Specialisms: Older Person Care, Respite Care - Heathcote Care Home · 6 Cecil Road, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 1JJ
Care home · CQC Good · Run by Mrs Lisa Charig and Mr Mark Charig
Heathcote is a residential care home in Swanage, Dorset, providing a permanent home for adults who need care and support with everyday life. We try to keep the atmosphere domestic rather than institutional, because that is what most people...
Specialisms: Dementia Care, Mental Health, Respite Care
What care costs in Dorset, per week
| Type of care | What the council pays | What self-funders are typically asked |
|---|---|---|
| Residential care South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549. | £1,156 | £1,400 to £1,650 |
| Nursing care South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 16 homes. Median £1,810. | £1,183 | £1,599 to £1,983 |
| Residential dementia care South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 19 homes. Median £1,665. | Not published separately | £1,450 to £1,813 |
| Nursing dementia care England figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 75 homes. Median £2,050. | Not published separately | £1,890 to £2,221 |
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
- Gainsborough Care Home, 30 July 2025, Good
- Clifftop Care Home, 11 November 2024, Good
- Heathcote Care Home, 9 March 2023, Good
Longest since a report
- Walc House, 2 November 2018, Good
- Heathcote Care Home, 9 March 2023, Good
- Clifftop Care Home, 11 November 2024, Good
Frequently asked questions about care homes in Swanage
How many care homes are there in Swanage?
Swanage has 5 CQC registered care homes: 4 Good, 1 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 Swanage?
Dorset Council pays an average of £1,156 a week for residential care. Self-funders are typically asked £1,400 to £1,650 a week. South West figure, because too few Dorset homes publish this price. 52 homes. Median £1,549. 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 Swanage were inspected most recently?
Gainsborough Care Home (30 July 2025), Clifftop Care Home (11 November 2024) and Heathcote Care Home (9 March 2023) have the most recent CQC reports.