Advice, guides & stories for families.

How Much Does Dementia Care Cost in the UK? 2026 Fees by Region

What care homes offering dementia care charge in each part of the UK, based on fees published on AskBart, and the help available towards the cost.

Dementia Respite Care: Giving Carers a Break (2026)

The types of respite care for someone with dementia, how to arrange and pay for it, and how to help a short stay in a care home go well.

Early-Onset Dementia Care: Options for People Under 65 (2026)

Care and support for people diagnosed with dementia under 65: work, money, driving, care at home, and what to ask when looking at care homes.

Fast-Track NHS Continuing Healthcare: Free NHS Care at the End of Life (2026)

How the fast-track route to NHS continuing healthcare works when someone is nearing the end of life: who qualifies, who fills in the form, and how quickly care should start.

Direct Payments for Home Care: How They Work (2026)

Direct payments let you take the council's share of your care costs as money and arrange home care yourself. Who can get them, what they pay for and the rules.

Respite Care Costs: Weekly Care Home Fees and Who Pays (2026)

What care homes publish as their weekly fee, how respite stays are charged, and the help with costs from the council, benefits and charities.

CQC Ratings Explained: What Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate Mean (2026)

What the four CQC ratings mean, what "Requires improvement" means for a care home, how often homes are inspected, and how CQC's approach is changing in 2026.

Extra Care Housing (Assisted Living) Explained

Extra care housing gives you your own front door with care staff on site — a genuine middle ground between independent living and a care home.

Finding Inclusive Care: Cultural, Religious & LGBT+ Needs

Moving into care shouldn't mean hiding who you are. Here's how to find a home that genuinely respects someone's culture, faith, language or LGBT+ identity — and the questions that reveal whether it does.

Supporting Families Through the Care Home Transition: What Clinicians Need to Know

How to Talk to a Parent About Moving into a Care Home (2026)

How to open the conversation about care gently, handle the pushback, and keep your parent at the centre of the decision.

Coping with Guilt When a Parent Moves into a Care Home

Nearly every family feels guilty when a parent moves into a care home, even when it's the right decision. Here's why that happens, and how to carry it more lightly.

Nursing Homes for MS, Huntington's and Other Complex Conditions (2026)

How to find a care home that can meet the needs of someone with multiple sclerosis, Huntington's disease, motor neurone disease or another complex neurological condition, and how it is paid for.

Caring for Someone with Sight or Hearing Loss

Sight and hearing loss can be mistaken for confusion or dementia. Here's how to spot it, support someone day to day, and find care that adapts to sensory needs.

Caring for Someone with Parkinson's

Parkinson's care lives or dies on small details, especially medication timing. Here's what actually helps, and what to check when choosing care.

End of Life Care at Home: Arranging Support in the UK (2026)

How to arrange end of life care at home for a parent or partner: who to contact, NHS funding, Marie Curie Nurses, equipment, out-of-hours help and support for carers.

Hospice, Care Home or Home: Choosing Where to Be Cared For at the End of Life (UK)

A plain comparison of care at home, in a hospice and in a care home at the end of life: what each offers, who pays, and questions to help you choose.

When Home Care Is No Longer Enough: Signs It's Time for a Care Home (2026)

The signs, drawn from NHS and Age UK guidance, that care at home may no longer be enough, what to try first, and how to start looking at care homes.

Getting Your Affairs in Order: a Later-Life Checklist

The wills, power of attorney, wishes and paperwork worth sorting while you can — a practical checklist that spares your family guesswork later.

Care Home Contracts: What to Check Before You Sign

A care home contract is a serious financial commitment, often signed under pressure. Here's exactly what to read, question and get in writing before you sign.

What to Do When Someone Dies in a Care Home

A gentle, practical guide to the first hours, days and weeks after a loved one dies in a care home, with the steps to take and where to find support.

Downsizing and Decluttering Before a Move into Care

A room-by-room guide to sorting a lifetime of belongings before a care home move — done kindly, calmly, and without the overwhelm.

Making the Most of Visits to a Loved One in a Care Home

Simple, practical ways to make visits to a care home warmer and less awkward — including what to bring, when to go, and how to visit someone with dementia.

Day Centres & Adult Day Care Explained

Day centres give an older person company and activity during the day, and give their carer a reliable break. Here's how they work, what they cost, and how to find one.

Understanding Different Types of End-of-Life Care - An Expert Guide 2025!

A clear guide to hospice, palliative and end-of-life care in the UK — what each term means, where care can happen, how it's funded, and how to plan ahead.

How Hospice Referral and Assessment Work in the UK

In the US it is called a hospice evaluation. In the UK, a GP or nurse refers you and the hospice assesses your needs. Here is what to expect.

The Impact of Animal-Assisted Therapy in Hospice Care

Therapy animals can bring comfort and companionship to people nearing the end of life. Here's what animal-assisted therapy involves, what the evidence supports, and how to check it's done safely.

The ARCO Consumer Code: What Protection Do You Get? (2026)

What the ARCO Consumer Code means for people moving to a retirement village: what it covers, which operators follow it, and how to complain to The Property Ombudsman.

Part-Exchange Schemes for Retirement Property: How They Work (2026)

How retirement operators' part-exchange schemes work, what four large operators say about theirs, and the questions to ask before you accept an offer for your home.

McCarthy Stone, Churchill, Audley and Inspired Villages Compared (2026)

A neutral side-by-side of what four large UK retirement operators say they offer: types of home, care, renting or buying, fees and part exchange.

State Pension Payment Date to Change for Millions

Your state pension payment might arrive unexpectedly early in April 2025 - learn why this crucial change affects millions of retired Brits.

Are Care Workers Paid Below the National Living Wage? (2026)

Research has found many UK care workers paid below the real Living Wage, and a quarter on or near the legal minimum. The National Living Wage is now £12.71.

UK First’ Health and Social Care Bill to Receive Royal Assent in Wales

Wales defies British healthcare norms with a groundbreaking Health Bill while England's £86,000 care cost cap crumbles away. What changed?

20 Best Cruise T-Shirt Designs You Will Love

Browse these 20 cruise t-shirt designs that will transform your vacation style and make you the talk of every port.

Should You Sell Your Garage Property As-Is? Lessons from Fort Worth

Feet Swelling Causes - An Expert Guide

Common foot swelling may seem harmless, but these hidden causes could reveal serious health concerns you shouldn't ignore.

5 Amazing Black and White Kitchen Ideas You Need to See

Never settle for a dull kitchen when these stunning black and white designs can transform your space into a masterpiece.

10 Chic Ideas for Black Christmas Tree Decor and a Sleek Holiday Look

Unlock your black Christmas tree's potential with these sophisticated decorating themes that transform holiday tradition into modern elegance.

10 Creative Ideas for Easter Party Decor

Infuse your Easter celebration with charming DIY decor ideas that transform ordinary spaces into a whimsical spring wonderland.

How To Get Elderly Walking Again - An Expert Guide

Need help getting your elderly loved one back on their feet? Discover proven techniques for safely restoring mobility and independence.

5 Simple Tips To Help You Get Out Of Bed

Need help dragging yourself out of bed? These scientifically-proven morning hacks will transform your wake-up routine forever.

Pickleball for Seniors: The Ultimate Guide For 2025

With essential tips on gear, rules, and safety, this expert guide reveals how pickleball can transform your active lifestyle—discover the secrets inside!