England

Downing HouseManchester

Illustrative image. Photographs of this home have not yet been added.

Rated:GoodResidential

Downing House

14 Swinbourne Grove, Withington, Manchester, Lancashire, M20 4PP

01614348717

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

3 March 2021

Provider

Abbeyfield Society (The)

Beds

25 beds

How this home compares nearby

Of 72 care homes for older people within 5 miles, 4 are rated higher by CQC, 56 are the same and 12 are lower.

54 of these nearby homes have been inspected more recently than this one.

Based on CQC ratings, updated 22 October 2026. How we compare homes | See the nearby homes

Rating history

Requires ImprovementJun 2016
Requires ImprovementSept 2017
InadequateMay 2018
Requires ImprovementDec 2018
GoodFeb 2020

Improved from Requires Improvement to Good in 2020. CQC has rated this home 5 times since 2016.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Abbeyfield Society (The), which runs 13 care homes in England: 2 rated Outstanding and 11 Good.

Average care home fees in the North West: £882 a week for residential care and £1,196 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

This home lists dementia care, which usually costs more than standard residential care. See dementia care home costs. NHS Continuing Healthcare may apply where someone's needs are primarily health needs.
How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About Downing House

Downing House is a residential care home in Manchester, providing accommodation and support for older people, including those living with dementia. Further details from the CQC's most recent inspection are set out below.

This residential care home provides accommodation and support for 25 people aged 55 and over, including those living with dementia. At inspection, 24 residents were receiving care in the purpose-built facility. The home maintained robust Covid-19 safety measures, with policies frequently reviewed and updated in response to government guidance.

All staff completed specialist training on virus prevention and were monitored to ensure compliance with protocols. Enhanced cleaning schedules were implemented with increased domestic staff hours and rigorous monitoring to maintain standards.

The home established careful procedures for people entering the building, including new admissions and those returning from hospital. These included lateral flow tests, temperature checks, hand cleansing, and appropriate isolation periods. The service demonstrated compassion in maintaining connections between residents and their families through regular video and phone calls, and had risk assessed limited visiting arrangements for a small number of residents with particular health needs.

Source: CQC inspection report, 25 March 2021

Specialist Care

DementiaOlder peopleYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 25 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · M20 4PP

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Dementia.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Rating report published 8 February 2020. Latest inspection date recorded: 3 March 2021.

Safe: Good
Effective: Good
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Good

Read Downing House's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Downing House, consider asking...

1.What specific dementia training do staff receive and how recently?
2.How do you support a resident who becomes distressed or confused?
3.How does the home keep a record of a resident's life history and personal preferences?
4.How do you involve families as dementia progresses and communication becomes harder?
5.What happens when a resident's dementia reaches an advanced stage?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Downing House, look out for...

1.Is the environment calm, uncluttered and easy to navigate?
2.Do staff speak to residents with patience and dignity, even if they repeat themselves?
3.Are there memory cues around the home -- photos, familiar objects, clear signage?
4.Do residents seem settled and safe, or agitated and unsupervised?
5.Is there meaningful activity happening, or are residents just sitting quietly with nothing to do?

Could the NHS fund Downing House's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees