Kent is one of the worst performing areas in the UK for care home quality.

In total 35.2% of facilities here are poor — meaning the CQC has given them ratings of requiring improvement or inadequate at their latest inspections.

But in Medway just 20.8% of homes are in the same category.

The south east as a whole is one of the worst regions, with a score of 28.2%.

That compares to neighbouring London's 20.3%, while the north west is the worst performing region with 33.6%.

The findings, published by charity Independent Age, reveal a stark variation in the quality of care across the country.

Simon Bottery, director of policy at Independent Age, said: “No one should be forced to live in an unsatisfactory care home but our analysis shows this is the grim reality in some parts of the country.

"The market is simply not providing a decent choice for older people and their families but there is little indication that local authorities or the government are giving the problem the attention it deserves. Money is likely to be one cause but not the only one.

"The government has an opportunity to address this in its upcoming Green Paper on social care but, in the meantime, councils must demonstrate that they understand the reasons for care home failures and are working to resolve them.”

The charity believes factors such as low local authority funding, low pay and difficulty recruiting staff, and the lack of a good support mechanism for improving care homes are to blame for the results.

The care home market is now valued at nearly £16billion but social care is facing a £2.6billion funding gap by 2019/20.

In order to improve quality Independent Age is calling on the government and local authorities to do more.