Published: Friday 25 July 2025
Kensington and Chelsea has been rated as Outstanding for its adult social care services by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The top rating makes the Council one of only two local authorities in the country to receive an Outstanding rating for both adults and children’s services.
The CQC inspectors praised the Council for its exceptional levels of service and high-quality, person-centred and inclusive care. They highlighted how the Council has learned from the Grenfell Tower tragedy to build genuine partnerships with its communities.
Inspectors also highlighted that the Council had strong leadership, no waiting lists across its Care Act functions and showed a clear commitment to prevention and early support, helping people to stay well and live independently in their own homes for longer. This also included safeguarding which was noted for being highly effective.
Cllr Josh Rendall, lead member for adult social care and public health, said:
“We are incredibly proud to have our adult social care services rated as Outstanding. This is a testament to the hard work of our staff, who work with our partners and communities every day to provide the best possible care for our residents. In particular, the commitment to safeguarding is something we have strived to achieve.
“To be one of only two local authorities to receive this rating is a reflection of our dedication to putting people first. We will continue to build on this success, ensuring our services remain inclusive, responsive and focused on helping people to live healthy and independent lives.”
Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council, added:
“In our children's services, we are Outstanding, and now to have Outstanding in our adult social care really means a lot as part of our Grenfell legacy is to become the best council.”
James Bullion, CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care and integrated care, said:
“We were very impressed to see the exceptional levels of service being provided by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Their clear commitment to timely support, early intervention, and equity was evident throughout the system.
“Overall, Kensington and Chelsea Council should be extremely proud of this assessment and the outstanding care they’re providing to people. Other local authorities should look at this report to see if there’s anything they can learn.”
The key findings from the report include:
- No waiting lists: Residents get an immediate response when they ask for support, with no waiting lists for assessments, safeguarding, occupational therapy or reablement services.
- Excellent reablement support: The service that helps people recover after a hospital stay is highly effective, with 92 per cent of residents who used it not needing long-term care afterwards, and 100 per cent of those over 65 remaining at home 91 days after being discharged from hospital.
- Strong community partnerships: The Council has “one of the most mature approaches” to working with residents, involving over 100 community champions and more than 200 safeguarding ambassadors across the borough.
- Inclusive services: Support is tailored to the needs of the borough’s diverse communities, including services for autistic people, older LGBTQ+ adults, and refugee communities.
- Constant improvement: The Council routinely evaluates the impact of training to monitor its effectiveness.
- Leadership: The Council has a leadership team who embodied values of inclusivity and ensured people were supported by staff who felt valued and consistently championed people’s rights. This included a hands-on approach and recognition of its commitment to represent the community it serves.