New Care Homes Opening in the United Kingdom in 2025

Growth in Care Home Numbers and Larger Facility Capacities

The number of new care homes opening reflects ongoing efforts to meet demand from population growth and increased life expectancy. Key data points include:

• 381 new care homes opened from January 2024 to January 2025, with an average capacity of about 39 residents per home. This size is larger than in previous years and suggests a trend toward bigger, purpose-built care settings.
• Around half of the new care homes built since 2020 are located in London, the South, and East of England—regions with higher proportions of residents who self-fund their care.
• Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have seen fewer new care home developments, indicating regional differences in investment levels.

There is a noted shift from smaller adapted houses run by independent providers toward larger facilities housing 60 to 80 residents, reflecting investment patterns and potential operational efficiencies. Larger homes may be positioned to offer a broader range of services due to scale.

Facilities with Enhanced Lifestyle Amenities

Some of the new care homes include lifestyle-focused amenities alongside care services. Features seen in certain developments include:

• Cocktail lounges, art studios, gyms, swimming pools, spas, cinemas, and health clubs.
• Examples such as the Loveday care homes in London and Signature care home in Highgate incorporate these amenities alongside care services.
• These types of homes generally involve higher fees, often appealing to people who fund their own care.

The trend toward offering amenities aligns with demographics showing that people over 65 control a significant portion of UK wealth, including property assets.

Use of Technology in New Care Homes

Many new care homes are introducing technology aimed at enhancing safety, health monitoring, and independence for residents. Examples of technologies in use include:

• Wearable devices monitoring vital signs such as blood pressure and blood sugar.
• Medication reminder systems designed to support correct medication administration.
• Motion sensors that detect falls and alert staff promptly.
• Pain recognition software assisting caregivers in assessing non-verbal residents.
• Automated lighting systems that activate upon resident movement to improve safety in hallways and bathrooms.

While such technologies are more common in higher-funded homes, decreasing costs are leading to wider adoption in other facilities.

Examples of New Care Homes Opening in 2025

Several purpose-built care homes have opened or are due to open in 2025, demonstrating the sector’s evolving approaches:

• Collington Park Lodge, Bexhill-on-SeaSoon to open, this home offers residential, dementia, and respite care in a coastal setting. The facility focuses on personalised care plans and activities aimed at supporting resident well-being. According to general manager Bianca Wilson, the home emphasises a warm and supportive atmosphere.
• Pitfodels Wood Care Home, AberdeenScheduled to open this year, this home offers nursing, dementia, residential, and respite care with 65 en-suite rooms and communal spaces like lounges and gardens. Enquiries for prospective residents are currently being accepted.
• Kelvinside Manor, Glasgow’s West EndOpen since January 2025, Kelvinside Manor features private en-suite rooms, 24-hour nursing care, dementia support, respite services, and amenities such as a cinema room, beauty salon, and gardens, combining personalised care with comfortable surroundings.

These examples reflect the sector’s focus on integrating clinical care with quality of life considerations.

Developing Specialist Care for People with Learning Disabilities

There is a growing number of care homes designed to support older adults with learning disabilities. Because this group often has complex care needs and higher risk of dementia, these facilities include specially trained staff and adapted environments. This development addresses previously less-served care needs within the UK.

Costs, Funding, and Access Considerations

While new care homes are increasing in number, challenges persist around funding and access:

• Publicly funded care is reported as less accessible than several years ago due to local council budget constraints and increased demand.
• Many councils limit contributions to care costs, often resulting in families needing to pay additional fees (“top-ups”) for preferred homes.
• Waitlists for publicly funded care assessments can impact hospital discharges and cause delays.
• An independent commission is expected to report on social care funding reforms by 2028.

These factors suggest that while facility numbers have grown, affordability and equitable access continue to be issues for many families.

Looking Ahead at Care Home Demand

Property experts such as Savills project that the UK will require approximately 144,000 additional care home beds over the next decade. The opening of 381 new homes within one year signals active development but meeting future demand will require ongoing growth in care home provision.

Approaches to Finding and Selecting New Care Homes in the UK

For individuals considering new care homes in 2025, useful steps include:

• Using informational platforms like carehome.co.uk, which lists care homes opening in various locations, mostly in England and some in Scotland.
• Clarifying the necessary type of care (e.g., nursing, dementia, respite, learning disabilities) and verifying the home’s ability to provide that care.
• Visiting prospective homes where feasible and asking about personalised care plans, staff qualifications, available activities, and technologies used.
• Reviewing the full cost structure, including possible additional fees for privately funded care.
• Inquiring about community engagement and lifestyle amenities to support quality of life alongside clinical support.

In 2025, new care homes in the UK are increasing in number and size, with many offering enhanced lifestyle options, technological features, and specialised care services. Larger, purpose-built homes are becoming more common, aiming to balance personalised care with comfortable living environments. Despite the expansion, challenges related to public funding and access remain. Continued attention to investment and social care reforms will be important in meeting the UK’s ageing population needs.

Sources

• Care Home Trends 2025 - carehome.co.uk
• Collington Park Lodge Opening - oystercarehomes.co.uk
• Meallmore New Homes 2025 - meallmore.co.uk

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