There are different standards for Older People (over 65) and for Adults (18 to 65) these cover all aspects of running a Care Establishment including room sizes, staff training and provision of care.

The standards were initially implemented to much criticism and would have resulted in the loss of thousands of beds throughout the country due to stringent accommodation standards which could have resulted in considerable expenditure for most homeowners. Following a period of consultation a revised set of standards were published in February 2003 and are available on the Care Standards Commission website :

For purchasers it is important to familiarise yourself with the Environmental Standards (standards 19 to 26) when you begin looking at homes these outline the benchmark for good quality units.