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SOUTH YORKSHIRE COUNTY

Expert Analysis of 352 South Yorkshire Care Homes

81% of homes across South Yorkshire are rated Good or Outstanding. Doncaster currently stands out on quality, while county pricing still varies meaningfully by town.

South Yorkshire Care Home Market

Key figures for the local care home market, drawn from regulatory, financial, and food safety data

81%
Rated Good or Outstanding

Based on official inspection reports

What the local care home market looks like in South Yorkshire
352
Care Homes Analysed

Across South Yorkshire and surrounding areas

23%
On Improving Trajectory

Homes trending upward based on recent official inspections

85%
Without Registered Manager

300 homes currently lack a registered manager

Official Rating Breakdown

10 Outstanding258 Good57 Requires Improvement5 Inadequate

CQC Quality by Domain

Average scores across South Yorkshire care homes

SafeGood
EffectiveGood
CaringGood
ResponsiveGood
Well-LedGood

South Yorkshire homes rate strongest on Caring and weakest on Well-Led.

Inspection Freshness

How recently homes were inspected by the national regulator

1–3 years41 (12%)
Over 3 years290 (88%)

88% of homes have ratings over 3 years old. Our reports verify against multiple data sources to give you a more current picture.

Regional Insight

Care market across South Yorkshire

Quality leader
Doncaster

90% of 75 homes there are rated Good or Outstanding.

Price spread
Rotherham to Sheffield

Average weekly costs range from about £1,035 to £1,353 across the county's larger towns.

Specialist strength
Dementia

192 homes (55%) currently offer this specialist support.

Largest authority cluster
Sheffield

113 homes sit in the county's biggest local-authority cluster.

Care Standards in South Yorkshire

Specialist care coverage and food safety ratings across 352 homes

Overall quality

81%

Good or Outstanding

Largest specialist signal

192 homes

Dementia support (55%)

Specialist Care Coverage

This is the clearest specialist category currently reaching meaningful scale in the public county dataset.

192 (55%)

Dementia

Families looking for this type of support have a meaningful county-wide shortlist here, even if other specialist categories are less visible in current public records.

Largest specialist signal
County Care Markets

Major towns in South Yorkshire

Compare how care quality, pricing, and nursing supply vary across the main towns and local care markets in South Yorkshire.

44 nursing homes

Sheffield

Sheffield

Sheffield is one of the key care markets in South Yorkshire, with 113 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here run above the county average.

Homes analysed113
Avg weekly cost£1,353
Good / Outstanding83%
1 Outstanding, 85 Good
64 dementia specialists
1 Outstanding-rated
18 nursing homes

Doncaster

Doncaster

Doncaster is one of the key care markets in South Yorkshire, with 75 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here sit close to the county average.

Homes analysed75
Avg weekly cost£1,180
Good / Outstanding90%
3 Outstanding, 60 Good
40 dementia specialists
3 Outstanding-rated
12 nursing homes

Barnsley

Barnsley

Barnsley is one of the key care markets in South Yorkshire, with 62 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here sit close to the county average.

Homes analysed62
Avg weekly cost£1,307
Good / Outstanding78%
3 Outstanding, 44 Good
34 dementia specialists
3 Outstanding-rated
16 nursing homes

Rotherham

Rotherham

Rotherham is one of the key care markets in South Yorkshire, with 59 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here sit below the county average.

Homes analysed59
Avg weekly cost£1,035
Good / Outstanding81%
3 Outstanding, 43 Good
28 dementia specialists
3 Outstanding-rated
5 nursing homes

Sheffield

Rotherham

Sheffield is one of the key care markets in South Yorkshire, with 14 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Prices here sit close to the county average.

Homes analysed14
Avg weekly cost£1,224
Good / Outstanding64%
0 Outstanding, 9 Good
4 dementia specialists
1 nursing homes

Doncaster

Nottinghamshire

Doncaster is one of the key care markets in South Yorkshire, with 5 homes in the current dataset. This is a broad care market with both nursing and dementia provision. Pricing varies across this local market.

Homes analysed5
Avg weekly cost
Good / Outstanding60%
0 Outstanding, 3 Good
3 dementia specialists
Visiting Practicality

Which towns are easiest to visit and support in South Yorkshire?

These town-level signals use the homes we already track across the county: transport access, healthcare proximity, green space, and practical features such as parking, lifts, and Wi-Fi.

Easiest for repeat family visits

Sheffield

Sheffield currently looks like the easiest town in this county for repeat visits, based on how accessible homes appear by transport and basic arrival logistics.

  • Avg train station distance 1.7km
  • 9 bus stops nearby
  • 1% of homes show parking
  • 1% of homes show lift access

Strongest healthcare access around homes

Doncaster

Doncaster currently stands out for local practical support around care homes, with the strongest combined access to hospitals, GPs, and pharmacies in the county dataset.

  • Avg hospital distance 1.0km
  • Avg GP distance 0.7km
  • Avg pharmacy distance 0.7km

Most convenient day-to-day setup

Barnsley

Barnsley currently looks strongest for day-to-day convenience, based on the mix of practical in-home features and the surrounding setting families are likely to notice once visits become routine.

  • 5% of homes show Wi-Fi
  • 6% of homes show gardens
  • 3% of homes show parking
  • Avg green space distance 427m

Why families in South Yorkshire use RightCareHome

Why this is more useful than a directory when the decision is serious

Without independent analysis

  • 352 homes to compare manually
  • Outdated directory data from years ago
  • Commission-driven recommendations
  • Hidden quality and safety issues

With RightCareHome

  • A clearer view of where quality, cost and risk differ before you check any one home
  • Independent scoring built from regulatory, review and financial evidence
  • 100% independent, zero commissions
  • A better starting point before you verify or compare specific homes

Frequently Asked Questions About Care Homes in South Yorkshire

Practical answers based on available local data and typical family concerns.

How many care homes are in South Yorkshire?

South Yorkshire has 352 registered care homes in our dataset, including 102 nursing homes and 250 residential homes across the county.

What does care cost across South Yorkshire?

Weekly care costs in South Yorkshire range from £681 to £2,254, with an average of £1,218. Among the county's larger markets, Rotherham is currently one of the cheaper towns while Sheffield sits at the higher end.

Which towns have the biggest care markets in South Yorkshire?

Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley currently account for some of the largest care markets in South Yorkshire. At local authority level, Sheffield and Doncaster stand out for care home supply.

Which part of South Yorkshire currently looks strongest on care quality?

Doncaster currently stands out in our county dataset, with 90% of its 75 homes rated Good or Outstanding.

How much dementia care is available in South Yorkshire?

192 homes in South Yorkshire offer specialist dementia care, representing 55% of the county market.

Still have questions?

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Get a shortlist for South Yorkshire

Based on official inspections, company accounts, and food hygiene records. Source update timings vary across inspection, pricing, and public records.

RCH Score methodology

How we rank care homes in South Yorkshire

Score 0–10 · updated monthly

CQC inspections can be 2–4 years old. Our RCH Score combines the official inspection result with live signals — real reviews, quality trajectory, and financial stability — to surface homes that are performing well today, not just at the last inspection.

CQC

CQC inspection rating

40%

The official Care Quality Commission rating — Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. The primary quality signal, but can be up to 4 years old.

Online reviews

30%

Average star rating from verified public reviews across the web, weighted by volume. Reflects the day-to-day experience of residents and families. Only counted when 10+ reviews exist.

CQC trend

15%

Whether the home's rating has been improving, stable, or declining across its last three inspections. An improving trajectory can offset an older rating.

Financial stability

15%

Operational risk derived from Companies House filings — profit/loss trend, debt levels, and director changes. Financially stressed homes face higher closure and quality risk.

Rankings are calculated from public data only. We do not accept referral fees or paid placements from care homes.

The RCH Score is a decision-support tool, not a definitive ranking. Always visit a home in person and ask for the latest CQC inspection report before making a decision.

When one South Yorkshire home stands out, verify it properly

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All Care Homes in South Yorkshire

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352 homes across South Yorkshire, from Sheffield to Doncaster. See which ones suit your family.