Lottie

Overview

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Categories: Care Matching
Core Product: Lottie (digital marketplace for care homes, home care, and retirement living)

Introduction

Lottie is one of the UK’s fastest‑growing digital platforms for finding and funding later‑life care. Founded in 2021 by brothers Chris and Will Donnelly, Lottie was born out of their personal frustrations when searching for care for their grandmother. They discovered that the process was opaque, stressful, and often urgent — with families forced to make life‑changing decisions under pressure, without clear information on availability or pricing.

Their solution was to create a “Rightmove for care homes”: a transparent, user‑friendly marketplace where families could instantly access real‑time bed availability, detailed pricing, and quality ratings. Since then, Lottie has evolved into a multi‑faceted platform that not only matches families with care homes, home care, and retirement living options, but also provides free expert advice, data insights, and software tools for providers.

Today, Lottie is used by over one million people every month, partners with more than 3,000 care providers, and has been recognised as one of the UK’s most disruptive startups. Its mission is to “disrupt the social care sector for the better”, making care more transparent, accessible, and affordable for families while helping providers increase occupancy and efficiency.

User Feedback: Strengths and Weaknesses

Publicly available feedback for Lottie comes from Trustpilot reviews, case studies, and independent media coverage. Overall, user sentiment is strongly positive, though some caveats are noted.

Positive Feedback

• Ease of use and speed
  Families consistently praise Lottie’s intuitive search engine. Users report being able to find suitable care homes within hours, compared to weeks of phone calls and visits under traditional methods.

• Transparency on pricing and availability
  Lottie is one of the only platforms to provide real‑time bed availability and detailed pricing information. Families highlight this as a major stress‑reducer, enabling them to make informed decisions quickly.

• Free expert support
  Lottie’s team of care experts is frequently praised for their empathy, knowledge, and responsiveness. Reviews describe staff as “kind,” “understanding,” and “a godsend” during stressful times.

• Comprehensive coverage
  Users appreciate that Lottie covers the whole market, including every registered care home and home care service in the UK. This eliminates the “postcode lottery” effect and ensures families can compare all options.

• Personalised shortlists
  Families value the ability to request a free, personalised shortlist of recommended services. This feature is particularly useful for those unfamiliar with the care sector.

• Trust and reassurance
  Testimonials highlight the peace of mind families feel knowing that all providers listed on Lottie are regulated and vetted for quality.

• Positive impact on providers
  Care providers report increased enquiries, higher occupancy rates, and improved efficiency thanks to Lottie’s CRM tools and marketplace exposure.

Negative Feedback and Caveats

• Digital literacy requirements
  While Lottie is designed to be user‑friendly, some older users or families with limited digital skills may find the online process challenging.

• Regional coverage variations
  Although Lottie covers the whole UK, some users note that availability data is more comprehensive in certain regions than others, reflecting provider adoption rates.

• Integration with funding systems
  While Lottie provides guidance on funding, integration with local authority funding processes is still evolving. Families may need to navigate funding applications separately.

• Overwhelming choice
  Some users report feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of options presented. While filters help, families often rely on Lottie’s care experts to narrow down choices.

• Pricing transparency depends on providers
  While Lottie requests detailed pricing from all providers, not every care home is equally transparent. In some cases, families still need to request bespoke quotes.

In summary, user sentiment is strongly positive around transparency, speed, and support, while challenges include digital literacy, regional variations, and funding integration.

Products and Capabilities

Lottie Marketplace

The core of Lottie’s offering is its digital marketplace, which allows families to:

• Search care homes, home care, and retirement living options across the UK

• View real‑time bed availability and detailed pricing

• Filter by location, budget, care type (residential, nursing, dementia, respite), and lifestyle preferences (e.g., pet‑friendly)

• Access CQC ratings and quality information

• Request and schedule viewings directly through the platform

Free Expert Support

Lottie provides a free support service staffed by care experts who:

• Offer personalised advice on care types, funding, and providers

• Create tailored shortlists based on family needs

• Support families through urgent care placements

• Provide ongoing guidance during the transition into care

Found by Lottie (CRM for Providers)

Lottie also offers Found by Lottie, a CRM and enquiry management system for care providers. This helps providers:

• Manage enquiries and admissions more efficiently

• Track occupancy and bed availability in real time

• Automate follow‑ups and communication with families

• Improve conversion rates and reduce admin burden

Seniorcare by Lottie (Employee Benefits Platform)

Launched in 2023, Seniorcare by Lottie is an employee benefits platform that helps employers support staff with caring responsibilities. It provides:

• Access to Lottie’s care marketplace and experts

• Guidance on funding and legal rights

• Resources for balancing work and caring responsibilities

Care IQ (Data Insights Tool)

Care IQ is Lottie’s data insights platform, offering:

• Market intelligence on care demand, pricing, and occupancy

• Benchmarking for providers and commissioners

• Insights from the UK’s largest Care Seeker Survey

• Predictive analytics to support strategic planning

Advice Hub and Resources

Lottie’s Advice Hub provides hundreds of free guides on topics such as:

• Understanding care types (residential, nursing, dementia, respite)

• Funding options and benefits

• Preparing for CQC inspections

• Navigating urgent care placements

Interoperability and Standards

Lottie is designed as an open, consumer‑facing platform, with strong interoperability across:

• Care providers: Integration with provider CRMs and enquiry systems

• Regulators: Alignment with CQC data and quality standards

• Employers: Integration with HR systems via Seniorcare by Lottie

• Families: Accessible via web and mobile, with role‑based access for different family members

The platform complies with GDPR and UK data protection standards, with secure hosting and encryption.

Market Position

Lottie operates primarily in the UK, serving:

• Families seeking care homes, home care, or retirement living

• Care providers seeking to increase occupancy and efficiency

• Employers supporting staff with caring responsibilities

• Commissioners and policymakers seeking market insights

It differentiates itself through:

• Transparency: Real‑time availability and detailed pricing

• Comprehensiveness: Coverage of the whole UK market

• Support: Free expert advice and personalised shortlists

• Innovation: CRM, employee benefits, and data insights tools

• Impact: Over one million users per month and £25m in funding raised

Competitors include Carehome.co.uk, Autumna, and HousingCare.org. Lottie positions itself as the modern, disruptive alternative, combining consumer transparency with provider tools and market insights.

Implementation and Support

Lottie emphasises a seamless user experience, with:

• Instant online search and filtering

• Free expert support via phone, email, or chat

• Personalised shortlists and guided viewings

• CRM integration for providers

• Dedicated account managers for care groups

Testimonials highlight smooth onboarding for providers and empathetic support for families.

Security and Data Protection

Lottie prioritises data security, with:

• GDPR compliance

• Encryption and secure hosting

• Audit trails and access controls

• Regular updates and monitoring

Providers and families are encouraged to review Lottie’s privacy policy for detailed information.

Conclusion

Lottie is a leading UK care matching platform that has transformed the way families find and fund later‑life care. Its strength lies in combining real‑time availability, transparent pricing, and free expert support with innovative tools for providers and employers.

User feedback consistently highlights ease of use, transparency, and empathetic support, while challenges include digital literacy, regional variations, and funding integration.

For families seeking urgent care placements, Lottie represents a credible, disruptive, and user‑friendly option. For providers, it offers a powerful channel to increase occupancy and efficiency. And for the wider sector, it provides valuable data insights to inform policy and planning.

Lottie’s rapid growth, strong funding, and ambitious plans for international expansion position it as a key player in the future of care matching and digital social care.

References

1. Lottie Official Website – The UK’s Best Care Homes, Home Care & Retirement Homes https://lottie.org/