Care homes offering respite care in Gillingham

There is 1 care home offering respite care in and around Gillingham on AskBart. Published fees average about £1,195 a week, while Dorset usually pays £1,156. The largest is Fern Brook Lodge Care Home, with 75 beds.

Average residential fee in Gillingham: £1,195/week — below the UK average of £1,702

Care homes in Gillingham

Key facts: Gillingham

Care homes offering respite care listed1
Rated Good or Outstanding1 of 1 (100%)
Rated Outstanding0
Rated Requires improvement or Inadequate0
Average published weekly fee£1,195
Dorset usual weekly rate (2025)£1,156
LargestFern Brook Lodge Care Home (75 beds)
CQC ratings of the homes in Gillingham: Good 1Good1

Data: CQC register. Figures are for the homes listed on this page.

Living in Gillingham
High Retirement CommunityGreen SurroundingsWell Served
What do these badges mean?
  • High Retirement Community — An above-average share of residents are aged 65 and over (ONS Census) — often a sign of established later-life communities and services.
  • Green Surroundings — Excellent access to parks, playing fields and other green space nearby (OpenStreetMap).
  • Well Served — Excellent everyday amenities nearby — shops, supermarkets, cafés and places to eat (OpenStreetMap).
SafetyC

Limited — safer than 8% of similar areas

Green SpacesA

Excellent — parks, playing fields & outdoor space nearby

Daily ConveniencesA

Excellent — shops, supermarkets & places to eat nearby

How we grade areas

Grades are relative, comparing this area against others of the same type across the UK. Amenity grades are based on OpenStreetMap counts within a fixed radius. The Safety grade ranks recorded police crime — per head of population where ONS figures are available, otherwise by total recorded crime. Figures are estimates to aid research, not a substitute for visiting an area.

Sources — crime: Police.uk, April 2026; amenities: OpenStreetMap, updated June 2026.

How care costs compare

The estimated average residential care fee in Gillingham is about £1,195/week, below the UK average of £1,702.

Estimated from published weekly fees for homes in the area. Actual costs vary by care needs and room type.

Council funding & top-up in Gillingham

The average residential care home in Gillingham costs about £1,195/week, while Dorset’s published usual rate is around £1,156/week (2025). If you qualify for council funding, expect a likely third-party top-up of about £39/week (≈ £2,028/year) to bridge the gap.

Average fee in Gillingham
£1,195/wk
Dorset usual rate
£1,156/wk
Likely top-up gap
£39/wk

Estimate only. Councils fund care only when the person’s assets are below the means-test threshold, and actual fees, funding and top-ups vary by home, room and assessed needs. Compares the area average against Dorset’s published usual cost of residential care (2025).

Care homes in Gillingham on the map
  • Good
Care homes (1)

updated September 2026

From £1195/wk·75 beds·All en-suite·Care South

Welcome to Fern Brook Lodge, a beautifully renovated Care South home nestled in the heart of Gillingham, north Dorset. This exceptional care home specialises…

DementiaResidentialRespite

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What care costs in Gillingham
Residential (avg)
£1,195/week
Dementia (avg)
£1,195/week

Wondering if that’s cheaper than staying put? Compare a care home with care at home, or see who pays.

House prices in Medway

The average house price in Medway is £296,182, based on HM Land Registry data. The graph shows sold-price trends by property type over the last 30 years.

Average price by property type

All property types
£296,182
Detached
£531,901
Semi-detached
£351,457
Terraced
£273,509
Flats & maisonettes
£167,976

Source: HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, to Jun 2026 (Open Government Licence v3.0). Figures are area averages for the wider local authority, not retirement properties specifically.

Types of care in Gillingham

Residential care homes

1 in Gillingham

Dementia care homes

1 in Gillingham
Safety

746 crimes reported in April 2026, sourced from Police.uk.

  • Violent crime261
  • Anti-social behaviour148
  • Criminal damage & arson71
  • Shoplifting55
Flood riskFlood warning area nearby

Gillingham is near 3 Environment Agency flood warning areas and 2 flood alert areas within 3.1 miles — on the River Medway and River Thames. A flood warning means flooding to property is expected when one is in force.

This reflects river and coastal flood areas the Environment Agency monitors near the town centre; it does not include surface-water (flash) flooding. For a specific property, check the government’s long-term flood-risk service.

Uses Environment Agency flood and river level data from the real-time data API (Beta), Open Government Licence v3.0.

Is Gillingham a good retirement location?

Gillingham suits those seeking a mature, retirement-focused community with good access to shops, parks and cafes, and who are flexible about care-home selection. The town has a significantly higher-than-average share of older residents (30.5% vs 18.6% nationally), which signals well-developed local support networks and an established later-life culture. However, the single listed care home means choice is minimal; families should confirm availability early and explore neighbouring areas if alternative options matter.

Health & support

  • Medical access: GP surgeries and pharmacies are present in the town; verify distance to your nearest practice and confirm it is accepting new patients, as capacity can be tight in areas with high older-adult populations.
  • Safety: Recorded crime in the area was 746 offences in 2026-04, with violent crime, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage among the most common. This is a consideration when weighing overall security and peace of mind.
  • Family & connection: Think carefully about how close family and your existing support networks are, and whether Gillingham's established retirement community will help you maintain friendships and social ties.

Finances & daily life

  • Cost of care: Weekly care-home fees in Gillingham sit broadly in line with the national average; verify the exact figure for the listed home, as individual home rates vary.
  • Transport: Gillingham benefits from reasonable road links and local bus services; check specific routes to nearby cities and shops that matter to you, and whether you will need a car or can rely on public transport and walking.
  • Housing options: Care-home provision here is limited to one listed home. Consider whether that matches your needs, and explore homes in neighbouring areas as a backup.

Lifestyle & environment

  • Green space & hobbies: The town has 20 parks and 8 allotments, offering good scope for outdoor activity. There are 84 restaurants and cafes and 25 pubs and bars, reflecting a lively social scene.
  • Community: A retirement-focused area of this size typically supports memory cafes, hobby groups and social clubs; ask local care services and the town council for a current directory.
  • Climate: As a South West England location, Gillingham experiences a temperate maritime climate with mild winters and moderate rainfall—typical for the region.

Things to weigh up

  • Limited care-home choice: Only one care home is listed here, so your options are restricted; early planning and backup research in nearby areas are essential.
  • Crime patterns: Recorded crime includes a notable share of violent crime and anti-social behaviour; review local police data and speak to residents about safety in the specific neighbourhood you are considering.
Common questions
How many care homes offering respite care are there in Gillingham?

AskBart lists 1 care home offering respite care in and around Gillingham, each with its latest CQC rating.

How are care homes offering respite care in Gillingham rated?

Of the 1 inspected, 0 are rated Outstanding, 1 Good, 0 Requires improvement and 0 Inadequate by the Care Quality Commission.

How do I choose between care homes offering respite care in Gillingham?

Start with the CQC rating and the latest inspection report, visit more than once, and ask how the home supports the person's needs. Our guide "Respite care explained" covers what to look for.

Near Gillingham

Paying for care? See how care is funded and check what the council may pay.

Talk to a Gillingham care expert.

Our independent advisors know the local homes inside out. Get free, friendly guidance with no obligation — just clear answers when you need them.