New care services
Starting a care business in the UK
A new care business needs working governance systems as well as safe care. This is the order we recommend to people opening a home care agency, a care home, a supported living service or a learning disability and mental health service.
MyCareCompliance brings practical CQC audits, evidence, workforce oversight and improvement actions into one platform for adult social care providers.
7 days free, card required, £0 today. From day 8 your plan (from £24.99 a month, inclusive of VAT) is charged automatically unless you cancel before your trial ends. Features vary by plan. Compare plans and trial terms.
1. Decide what you are registering for
Your regulated activities decide everything that follows — the policies you need, the manager qualifications, the notifications you must submit and how CQC will assess you. Personal care in someone's home, accommodation with personal care and supported living all carry different expectations.
2. Get the Registered Manager in place early
CQC registers the manager as well as the provider. Bring them in before the application rather than after: they will be interviewed on safeguarding, mental capacity, staffing, risk and how they will assure quality once the service is running.
3. Write policies you will actually follow
Generic bought-in policy packs are a common reason a new service struggles. Policies should describe your service, your staffing model and your local arrangements, and staff should be able to explain them in their own words.
4. Build recruitment and training the right way round
Safe recruitment records, right-to-work checks, DBS, references, induction and mandatory training need to be complete before anyone delivers care — keeping staff files current helps you demonstrate safe recruitment and oversight.
5. Put quality assurance in before you open
Regulation 17 expects audits, action plans and evidence that you act on what you find. Start with Essential (£24.99/month) for core audits, evidence and actions; add the full audit library and monthly governance reporting with Compliance (£54.99/month). Complete (£79.99/month) adds PIR and inspection preparation. Every plan covers the whole organisation and starts with 7 days free.
6. Rehearse the first inspection
A mock CQC inspection before your first assessment tells you what an inspector would actually find — £495, or £395 for subscribers, with a CQC-style written report and a prioritised action plan.
See it with your own service
Book a free demonstration and we will walk through the platform using scenarios from a service like yours.