For healthcare professionals

Useful guidance for your patients and clients

Which? Later Life Care provides you with independent, clear and well-informed information on the subject of care in later life, together with access to local service providers around the UK.

Our advice is aimed at everyone in the UK, but where information is different for Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales we flag this up at relevant points.

Watch our video for a quick introduction to the website and an overview of our cost of care and eligibility calculator.

How the site can help GPs, OTs and other healthcare professionals

From our experience of attending events such as the OT Show and RCGP conference, we’ve learnt just how valuable you find Which? Later Life Care (formerly Which? Elderly Care) as a signposting tool for your patients and clients.

From our conversations with GPs and occupational therapists, we know that the following guidance and tools are of particular interest.

Financing care: where we explain the ins and outs of financing home care and care homes, together with home adaptations

Home care: guides and articles covering everything from organising home care to what products are available to help older people stay safe and independent at home. We also provide information here on such topics as living with dementia and coping with loneliness.

Care services directory: our care services directory is a valuable and independent signposting tool. It provides details of regulated care services throughout the UK, including care homes, nursing homes, home care services and support groups. Key information about care providers is supplied by the four UK care regulators.

Cost of care calculator: this tool helps people cut through the complexity and lack of clear information around how much care really costs. By answering a few simple questions, we’re able to tell you not only how much care costs in your area (for England only at present) but also if you are potentially eligible for local authority support or will have to pay for your own care. We also provide guidance on the essential next steps to help you on your way.

In November 2018, in an update of the Care Act 2014 regulations, the Government recommended the Which? Later Life Care website as an approved resource for local authority signposting.

Contacting Which? Later Life Care

For more information about the website, see About us.

If you are a care service provider and have a question, please see our information for care service providers.

If you have any other queries relating to the site, please email us at laterlifecare@which.co.uk. Please note that we don't give individual advice on care.