Complaining About a Care Home: What CQC Will and Will Not Do, Anonymous Reports and What Providers Should Do (2026)
The route a complaint should take, what happens when you tell CQC, whether you can report anonymously, how safeguarding concerns are handled and what care home managers should do when concerns reach CQC.
To make a formal complaint about a care home, contact the care home itself. CQC does not investigate or resolve individual complaints, but you can give it feedback or raise a concern, which it uses alongside other information to decide when, where and what to inspect. You can give CQC feedback anonymously, although it is more likely to be able to act if it can contact you. If you remain unhappy after the home’s complaints process, you can go to the local authority (where it arranged or funds the care) or the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. If someone is at immediate risk of harm or abuse, call 999.
This guide is for families, residents and staff who are worried about a care home, and for registered managers who want to know what happens when concerns reach CQC. It explains the route a complaint should take and what each organisation does. It is based on CQC’s “give feedback on care” page and a House of Commons Library briefing, linked in the sources section. It covers care services in England. Where we add suggestions for providers, they are ours, not CQC’s.
Key takeaways
- A formal complaint goes to the service first. Regulated care providers must have a system for receiving and responding to complaints.
- CQC does not investigate or resolve individual complaints. It uses feedback and concerns to build a picture of a service.
- You can give CQC feedback anonymously, but you are more likely to see action if CQC can contact you.
- If a local authority arranged or funds the care, you can also complain to the council. After the local process, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman can look at the case, usually within 12 months.
- Call 999 if there is an immediate risk of harm or abuse.
In this guide
Who to complain to, in order
| Step | Who | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The care home or care agency | Regulated providers must have a system for receiving and responding to complaints (Regulation 16). Raise it with the manager or provider, in writing if you can |
| 2 | The local authority, if it arranged or funds the care | A complaint about a provider can also be made to the council, and councils must have a complaints procedure for their social services functions |
| 3 | The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman | If you are still unhappy after the provider’s and/or the council’s process, the Ombudsman can look at it. Complaints should usually be made within 12 months of becoming aware of the matter |
| Alongside | CQC (give feedback on care) | Tell CQC about an experience of care or a concern about a service. It is not a formal complaint and CQC does not investigate individual complaints |
| Immediate risk | Emergency services (999) and the local authority safeguarding team | For abuse or immediate danger, call 999. Safeguarding concerns go to the local authority |
The steps and the Ombudsman time limit follow the House of Commons Library briefing How to complain about adult social care in England. Always check the current rules with the organisation you are contacting.
What CQC does with feedback and concerns
According to CQC’s give feedback on care page, you can tell CQC about an experience of care, good or bad, or a concern about a service you work for. CQC says this is different from making a formal complaint, which you must make to the service itself. It uses what people tell it to understand the quality of care people get from services such as care homes, care agencies, hospitals and GPs, and looks at it alongside other information, for example information from the service or what it found at its last visit. CQC only covers services in England.
CQC will ask for the name and location of the service, when you used it or worked there, whether you have complained to the service or contacted other authorities and whether CQC can contact you. The Commons Library briefing says CQC does not investigate or resolve individual complaints, but its enforcement powers include warning notices and cancelling registration. CQC’s approach to timing is risk-based, so concerns can contribute to an assessment being brought forward. See how often CQC inspects.
Can I complain to CQC anonymously?
Yes. CQC says you do not have to give your name or contact details and you can always give feedback anonymously, but it is more likely to be able to take action if you do, and it may want to contact you for more information. CQC explains how it handles personal information on its website. Staff who want to raise a concern about a service they work for can use the same route; see whistleblowing and CQC.
How to report a safeguarding concern
If someone is at immediate risk of harm or abuse, call 999. For a safeguarding concern about an adult in a care home, the local authority safeguarding team leads the response, and you can also tell CQC. Providers must notify CQC of allegations of abuse (see notifying CQC of an allegation of abuse) and refer concerns to the local authority (see safeguarding referrals). A complaint can also be a safeguarding concern, in which case the safeguarding process runs in parallel.
How to complain about a care home manager
Start with the provider, because the registered manager and the provider share legal responsibility and the provider has the complaints procedure. Put the concern in writing, say what happened, when and what outcome you want, and ask for the complaints policy. If the concern is about the conduct of the manager and you do not want to raise it with them, write to the nominated individual or the provider’s head office. You can also give CQC feedback and, where the council funds the care, tell the council.
For providers: when concerns reach CQC
Our suggestions for registered managers:
- Answer complaints properly first. Log, investigate, reply and record learning, as Regulation 16 requires. See how to handle a complaint in a care home and the complaints log.
- Tell people how to take it further. Include the local authority, the Ombudsman and CQC feedback route in your complaints policy.
- Do not try to identify anonymous reporters, and never treat a complainant or staff member badly for raising a concern. See whistleblowing.
- Be ready for an assessment. Concerns can lead CQC to assess sooner. Keep your evidence current with a mock inspection.
- If you are unhappy with how an inspection was conducted, there are routes in CQC’s own processes, and law firms advise making a timely complaint to CQC’s customer services team alongside any factual accuracy response. See the factual accuracy check. Take advice for individual cases.
Sources and how this was checked
- CQC: Give feedback on care (read 25 October 2026).
- House of Commons Library: How to complain about adult social care in England (CBP-10729).
- Hempsons, CQC Complaints (advice on complaining about inspector conduct).
The provider suggestions and the step table are our summaries. This is general information, not legal advice.
Handle complaints and concerns with a clear record
CQCLogic gives you a complaints and incident log with owners and deadlines so you can show how concerns were handled and what changed. It does not send complaints to CQC. See a sample improvement plan, view pricing or get started free.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I complain about a care home?
Make a formal complaint to the care home or care agency itself. Regulated providers must have a system for receiving and responding to complaints. If you remain unhappy, you can go to the local authority (if it arranged or funds the care) and then the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
Does CQC investigate individual complaints about care homes?
No. CQC says giving feedback is different from a formal complaint, and the Commons Library briefing says CQC does not investigate or resolve individual complaints. It uses feedback alongside other information to decide when, where and what to inspect.
Can I complain to CQC anonymously?
Yes. You do not have to give your name or contact details. CQC says it is more likely to be able to take action if you do, because it may need to contact you for more information.
How do I report a safeguarding issue?
Call 999 if someone is at immediate risk. Otherwise contact the local authority safeguarding team, and you can also give feedback to CQC. Providers must notify CQC of allegations of abuse.
How do I complain about a care home manager?
Complain in writing to the provider, because the provider has the complaints procedure. If the concern is about the manager, address it to the nominated individual or head office. You can also give CQC feedback.
Is there a time limit for going to the Ombudsman?
The Commons Library briefing says complaints to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman should usually be made within 12 months of becoming aware of the matter, after the provider’s or council’s process has been completed.
What happens after I give CQC feedback?
CQC looks at it alongside other information about the service, such as information from the service and what it found on its last visit. It does not usually tell you the outcome of an individual concern, and it does not resolve your complaint.
Can staff report a concern about the home they work for?
Yes. CQC’s feedback page covers a concern about a service you work for. Workers have legal protection when making a qualifying disclosure. See our whistleblowing guide.
What should a care home do when someone complains to CQC about it?
Answer the complaint properly under Regulation 16, record learning, protect the person who complained, keep evidence ready and review safety. Concerns can contribute to CQC assessing sooner.
Does CQC cover care homes outside England?
No. CQC only covers services in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulators.