CQC State of Care 2025/26: Adult Social Care Ratings, Regional Gaps and What They Mean for Providers
The headline adult social care figures from CQC’s annual report, with the caveats CQC attaches, the regional gap and the governance findings that matter most to registered managers.
In CQC’s State of Care 2025/26, 67% of the 3,783 care homes assessed under the current framework were rated Good and 3% Outstanding, while 27% were Requires improvement and 3% Inadequate (as at August 2026). CQC cautions that assessments have been largely risk based, so these figures are not a count of every care home. The report also points to leadership: about a third of care homes were rated Requires improvement (31%) or Inadequate (3%) for well-led.
CQC’s annual State of health and adult social care in England was laid before Parliament on 22 October 2026 and published on 23 October 2026. This page pulls out the adult social care ratings and the findings most relevant to providers. Every figure below comes from CQC’s report (GOV.UK publication page; full report PDF), and we say where CQC qualifies it.
If you want what the ratings mean rather than the numbers, start with CQC ratings explained.
Key takeaways
- As at August 2026, CQC reports 67% of assessed care homes rated Good and 3% Outstanding; 27% Requires improvement and 3% Inadequate.
- Homecare is rated higher: 76% Good and 4% Outstanding among the 2,121 services assessed, with 18% Requires improvement and 2% Inadequate.
- The figures cover services assessed under the current framework, largely on risk, so they may not represent the whole sector.
- Ratings differ by region: South West and London care homes had the best results (82% and 80% Good or Outstanding), the North West the lowest (59%).
- Leadership is the weak point: about a third of care homes were Requires improvement (31%) or Inadequate (3%) for well-led, and more than half (55%) of assessments of the governance, management and sustainability quality statement found shortfalls.
In this guide
Adult social care ratings by service type
CQC gives overall ratings as at August 2026 for adult social care services it has assessed under its current assessment framework, in use since the start of 2024.
| Service type (number assessed) | Outstanding | Good | Requires improvement | Inadequate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Care homes (3,783) | 3% | 67% | 27% | 3% |
| Homecare (2,121) | 4% | 76% | 18% | 2% |
| Supported living (390) | 4% | 74% | 19% | 2% |
Source: CQC, State of Care 2025/26 (GOV.UK). Percentages are rounded, so rows may not add to exactly 100%.
CQC cautions that assessments have been largely risk based, so the services assessed may not be representative of all services across the sector. Treat these as a picture of assessed services, not of every provider.
Regional differences for care homes
CQC reports that care homes in the South West and London had the best ratings, with 82% and 80% rated Good or Outstanding. The North West had the lowest at 59% (56% Good, 2% Outstanding).
Where you are rated is partly about local capacity, not only your own practice, so compare yourself with the regional picture before drawing conclusions from a national average.
Well-led and governance: where providers fall short
CQC says leadership is a key area for improvement in care homes: about a third were rated Requires improvement (31%) or Inadequate (3%) for the well-led key question. For the well-led quality statement on governance, management and sustainability, CQC found shortfalls in more than half (55%) of the care home assessments that looked at it.
Inspectors and specialists told CQC the concerns included leaders not having the time and support they need to provide good oversight and drive improvements, and not listening to staff or acting on their concerns. In regulatory terms this is the ground covered by Regulation 17, good governance.
How to use these figures in your own service
- Benchmark honestly. If you are rated Good, you are in the large majority of assessed care homes; if you are Requires improvement, you are in the 27%, and see what changes a rating from Requires improvement to Good.
- Check your own governance evidence. Because shortfalls were most common on governance, test whether your audits, meetings and action tracking would stand up; see how to run a governance meeting that proves oversight and how to carry out a care home audit.
- Prepare for the framework changes. CQC is consulting on and phasing in changes to its framework; see the 2026 framework changes.
- Self-check first. The free CQC self-assessment and checkers give a quick starting point before an inspection.
How to cite or reuse these figures
You are welcome to quote the figures on this page with a link back to it, provided you also credit CQC as the source and keep CQC’s caveat that the assessed services may not be representative. Suggested wording: “According to CQC’s State of Care 2025/26, 67% of the 3,783 care homes assessed were rated Good (as at August 2026). Source: CQC, summarised by CQCLogic (cqclogic.co.uk/cqc-state-of-care-2025-26-adult-social-care/).”
We update this page when CQC publishes revised figures, and note the date at the top.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does the CQC State of Care 2025/26 say about care home ratings?
As at August 2026, of the 3,783 care homes CQC had assessed under its current framework, 3% were Outstanding, 67% Good, 27% Requires improvement and 3% Inadequate. CQC cautions that assessments were largely risk based, so these services may not represent all care homes.
Are homecare services rated higher than care homes?
In the assessed services, yes. Of 2,121 homecare services, CQC reports 4% Outstanding, 76% Good, 18% Requires improvement and 2% Inadequate.
Which region has the best care home ratings?
CQC reports that care homes in the South West and London had the best ratings, with 82% and 80% rated Good or Outstanding. The North West had the lowest at 59%.
What does State of Care say about leadership in care homes?
About a third of care homes were rated Requires improvement (31%) or Inadequate (3%) for the well-led key question, and more than half (55%) of assessments of the governance, management and sustainability quality statement found shortfalls.
When was State of Care 2025/26 published?
It was laid before Parliament on 22 October 2026 and published on 23 October 2026.
Do these figures cover every care home in England?
No. They cover services CQC has assessed under its current assessment framework, and CQC says assessments have been largely risk based, so they may not be representative of all services.