We struggled to find a care home for our Nan, so we started a business to help others.

I have always been strongly entrepreneurial.  I started my first company – a digital and tech agency – when I was at university. My brother Will’s background is in social care. He spent over 5 years advising the UK’s leading care and retirement operators and was part of the property team that helped the NHS throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But we never thought we’d end up with a family business, combining my expertise in technology and Will’s experience in the social care sector.

The care home conundrum

The idea for Lottie came about when our family needed to find a suitable care home for our beloved grandmother.

Choosing a care home for yourself or a loved one is an extremely important decision. But we found out first hand how navigating the process of finding the best place for unique care needs can often feel very overwhelming, as well as time-consuming. 

Like for our family, most first-time care choices take place following a sudden illness, injury, or loss of a carer. You are suddenly forced to make complex decisions urgently and under pressure. Similarly, the care system as a whole can be confusing to understand.  We were unsure about what makes a “good” care home or even where to start when it comes to searching for care for our lovely Nan.

So, it’s no surprise our research has found 44% of UK care seekers have regretted their care decision. 

Creating the solution

That’s where Lottie comes in; a later living marketplace on a mission to elevate later living for everyone. Our goal with Lottie is to help families find the best care solution for their loved ones at a fair price.

We blend smart technology with market-leading human expertise (through our free concierge service). 

Each care provider and retirement living property listed on Lottie is vetted and selected by a team of care experts for their exemplary care, facilities, and homely environments. From outstanding care ratings and 5-star customer reviews to luxury facilities and thriving experiences, Lottie partners with the UK’s best care homes, home care providers and retirement living operators that offer an enhanced later living experience and home culture like no other.

From starting out as an idea to drive positive change within the eldercare sector to having a positive impact on people’s lives, it has been an amazing feeling. It was a ‘pinch me’ moment when our first care seeker moved into their new home, and it felt as though all the challenges we faced along the way were no longer barriers but drivers of success and change.

Since then, we’ve helped thousands of families across the UK find care for their loved ones. 

Mission Possible

Our achievements with Lottie haven’t come without challenges. From breaking through fierce competition in a saturated market to making Lottie a trusted and respected brand name, we’ve learned a lot along the way, not least by sticking to our original purpose and mission to elevate later life.

We want to be exceptional founders. We are proud to have been the first care directory to show care home fees, and we chose to only work with partners who were transparent about their costs. We also personally vet all the homes listed on our platform. 

One in seven employees have caregiving responsibilities for an elderly relative, and with an ageing population, this is expected to increase; Seniorcare By Lottie enables businesses to help their employees understand, find, and fund an elderly loved one’s care.

We have recently launched our Home Care Marketplace – connecting care seekers directly to care providers that offer care and support at home. 

Through our care experts advice and support shared through our helpful care guides and retirement living guides, and our online support group for carers – Care Space –  we’re able to guide care seekers through every step of finding care and support for themselves or their loved ones.

Loving later life

Over the last few years, we have stayed true to our mission to elevate later living, and this has helped us to drive positive change within the elder care sector. From care home fee transparency to providing a free concierge service with our care experts, our personal experience has helped Lottie redefine the care seeking process.

Chris Donnelly - Cofounder at Lottie

Lottie is a free service that helps you find the UK's best care homes, home care and retirement properties for your loved ones.

Lottie