This page provides an overview of social care in Birmingham, along with key metrics that could affect social care. Understanding these metrics is important because they help contextualise the challenges with social care provision in each local authority. These statistics are important to keep in mind when reviewing the other pages.
Why are these metrics important? Population size and density can affect the demand for social care services. For example, if a local authority has a high population (relative to other areas), it may need to allocate more resources to meet care needs. Similarly, areas with high population density may require more care services due to the increased number of people living in close proximity. Inversely, areas with a low population density may have fewer care needs, but residents may face challenges accessing services due to the distance between them. Lastly, people in rural areas might live further away from services, which can impact their ability to access care, or make it more expensive to provide.
Understanding these metrics can help local authorities plan and allocate resources effectively.
Deprivation decile is a measure of the level of deprivation in a local authority. It is calculated by ranking areas in England from 1 (most deprived) to 10 (least deprived) based on factors such as income, employment, education, and health. A higher decile indicates lower levels of deprivation, while a lower decile suggests higher levels of deprivation. Understanding deprivation levels can help local authorities identify areas that may require additional support and resources to address social care needs.
IMD 2019 for the Lower Tier Local Authorities: Birmingham
Deprivation rank is a measure of the relative deprivation of a local authority compared to other areas in England. It is calculated by ranking areas from 1 (most deprived) to 32,844 (least deprived) Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOA), which can be thought of as “small areas”. This rank is based on factors such as income, employment, education, and health. A lower rank indicates higher levels of deprivation, while a higher rank suggests lower levels of deprivation. Understanding deprivation ranks can help local authorities identify areas that may require additional support and resources to address social care needs.
IMD 2019 for the Lower Tier Local Authorities: Birmingham
Many people want care, some receive care, but a significant number go without. What types of care are being requested? What care is actually provided? This section explores the gap between need and provision, the types of care available, and how our own data contributes to the understanding of these challenges.
Access Social Care and other Helplines providers are working to bridge this gap by providing free legal support to people who are struggling to access social care services. This first chart illustrates the types of calls we are getting.
The rest of this page distingushes between the different types of care provided to Working Age People and Older People, as we are able to disaggregate at a greater level of granularity.
Note: these values are a work in progress… expect these numbers to go up
This plot shows a breakdown of the types of requests for assistance received by Access Social Care and other helplines. Understanding the themes of these calls can identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of calls related to housing may indicate a need for more affordable housing options, while a high number of calls related to social care assessments may suggest a need for improved access to care services. The request types are:
Assessments: An assessment is a meeting or form to find out what help someone needs with daily tasks.
Care Plan: A care plan is a written agreement that lists the support you’ll get and who to contact if things change.
Carers: Carers are people who help a disabled or ill person with daily tasks.
Charging: Charging refers to checking if you can afford to pay for some of your care based on your savings.
Information Seeking: Information seeking means getting advice about available care options.
Legal Issues and Complaints: Legal issues and complaints involve reporting problems with your care to the council or an ombudsman.
Safeguarding: Safeguarding is protecting people from abuse or neglect.
Of course, high numbers also mean that people know where to call, and this number can be impacted by advocacy efforts. As a counterpoint, areas with low numbers may indicate a lack of awareness of available services or a need for more outreach to connect people with support.
To protect privacy, our minimum bin size is 5, which means that if we field 1-5 queries on a topic, we display 5.
Are you a helpline and would like to combine data resources? Let us know!
Access Social Care casework, AccessAva data, and helpline partner submissions
Working Age People
Knowing how many people are requesting social care, how many people are recieving care and what percent of people are disabled helps understand need and social care provision at a top level. For example, a high number of people requesting care may indicate a need for additional resources or services, while a low number of people receiving care may suggest a gap in service provision. Understanding these metrics can help identify areas where additional support may be needed.
MW was diagnosed with Functional Chronic Pain, she cannot walk without support, she holds on to her furniture to move around the house. She uses a wheelchair, especially when she goes out, with support from friends and family. She lives on second floor with 5 flights because of the way the building is designed and there is no lift. She never goes out because of the difficulties she experiences with the stairs. She needs help with cooking, cleaning, shopping and showering. She relies on friends and her mum who has knee replacement.
She was referred by the Social Prescriber who referred her onto also referred her to Croydon Adult Support, they told her they are short of staff to allocate her a social worker, so she was placed on a long waiting list. MW case still hadn’t progressed until the Social Prescriber, who had been recently trained on the Care Act, referred her to Access Social Care’s free legal Chatbot letter clinic.
The legal clinic volunteer completed a letter to Croydon Council with MW within a week which was sent to Adult Social Services. Access Social Care then called her after two weeks to complete a follow up survey. MW informed them that she had had an assessment and was waiting to hear back from Croydon following the panel meeting. Social Services has now done the assessment after which the panel offered MW 9 hours of social care support.
This case study is based on real data from Croydon. Have a story to tell? Let us know, and we might display it here!
This plot shows the types of care provided to working-age people in Birmingham. Understanding the types of care available can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of people receiving personal care may indicate a need for more support with daily living activities, while a high number of people receiving respite care may suggest a need for additional support for carers.
ASCFR and SALT Data Tables 2023-24 Sheet T34
Birmingham has a higher proportion of disabled people compared to the national average. In 2024, the age-standardised proportion of disability in Birmingham is 19.9%, while the average is 17.6%. This means that nearly one in five people in Birmingham are disabled, which is more than in many other places.
In 2024, there were 15,635 requests for care from working-age adults in Birmingham. This is a rate of 1,340.85 per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of 1,143.48 per 100,000. More working-age adults in Birmingham are asking for care services than in other areas.
Despite the high number of requests, fewer working-age adults in Birmingham receive care compared to the national average. In 2024, 5,755 people aged 18 to 64 received care in Birmingham, which is 493.55 per 100,000 people. The national average is higher, at 532.68 per 100,000. This suggests that some people who need care might not be getting it.
Birmingham provides different types of care services to adults aged 18 to 64. In 2024, 230 people received nursing care, and 825 people received residential care. Community care was provided to many people, with 1,890 receiving direct payments only, and 2,600 receiving a local authority managed personal budget. The rate of community care per 100,000 people is higher in Birmingham for direct payments only (162.09) compared to the national average (122.17). However, for managed personal budgets, the rate is lower than average.
Birmingham is a large city with a population of over 1.16 million in 2023, much higher than the national average of 377,060.9. It is also densely populated, with 4,275.4 people per square kilometre, compared to the national average of 2,468.5. Birmingham has higher levels of deprivation, with a mean deprivation decile of 2.89 out of 10, where 1 is the most deprived. The higher levels of deprivation might contribute to more people having disabilities and needing care.
The high number of requests for care but lower provision suggests that there may be unmet needs in Birmingham. Factors such as funding limitations, high demand, and resource constraints might affect the availability of care services. This could impact the well-being of disabled people who may not be receiving the support they need.
The data suggests that Birmingham may need to allocate more resources to care services to meet the high demand. Policymakers might consider addressing the funding and capacity issues to ensure that disabled people receive adequate support. Improving care provision could enhance the quality of life for many residents in Birmingham.
✨ ✅ ❌Older People
Just like with Working Age people, knowing how many older people are requesting social care, how many people are recieving care and what percent of the population is 65+ helps understand need and social care provision at a top level.
Jamaican female, blind and in her 40s. She was in an emergency Bed & Breakfast with her Niece, who acts as her unofficial carer, she is unable to work but would like to go to University. She is receiving PIP but not the Daily Living Allowance which she applied for in June 2021. She is vulnerable and has a history of self harm so was assigned a rehab Support Worker. Vanessa supported her using the Chatbot to chase up her PIP Daily Living allowance application, after waiting for several months and they received a reply within a week but was awarded the lower rate.
Another Chatbot letter was sent to request an urgent assessment due to her vulnerability and this was action quickly by the LA. Vanessa also supported her to use the chatbot and ask the Social worker to be moved to a place that supports her needs and rights. As she was having to use a shared bathroom, toilet and kitchen in a place with drug/alcohol abusers and being blind with no carer, this left her vulnerable. The Chatbot was used again to raise this issue and after a few weeks she was successfully moved to a private property in another area.
This case study is based on real data from Croydon. Have a story to tell? Let us know, and we might display it here!
As above, it is important to see what type of care older people are being provided because it can help explain where additional work is needed.
ASCFR and SALT Data Tables 2023-24 Sheet T34
This report looks at data about older people in Birmingham. We focus on the proportion of older people, requests for care, and people receiving care. We compare Birmingham's figures with national averages and consider what the data means for services and policies.
From 2019 to 2023, the percentage of older people in Birmingham stayed around 13%. In 2023, it was 13.1%, while the national average was 18.5%. This means Birmingham has fewer older people compared to the rest of the country. A younger population could be due to factors like employment opportunities attracting younger individuals to the city.
Over these years, the proportion of older people in Birmingham did not change much. This steady percentage suggests that the age structure in Birmingham remains fairly constant.
In 2024, there were 22,155 requests for care from people aged 65 and over in Birmingham. This equals about 1,900 requests per 100,000 people. The national average was higher, at 2,437.85 requests per 100,000 people. The lower rate in Birmingham might be linked to having fewer older residents. It might also suggest that older people in Birmingham have different needs or access services differently.
Also in 2024, 9,975 older people in Birmingham received care. This is about 855 people per 100,000, less than the national average of 1,002.86 per 100,000. This could mean that fewer older people need care, or there may be barriers to accessing care services. Factors like awareness of services or cultural differences might affect this.
Looking at types of care, 1,750 people received nursing care in Birmingham, which is about 150 per 100,000 people. The national average is 121.75 per 100,000, so Birmingham is higher here. This suggests a greater need or use of nursing care in the city.
For residential care, 2,190 older people were served, about 188 per 100,000, while the national average is 249.93 per 100,000. This indicates fewer older people in Birmingham use residential care homes compared to the national figure.
In community care with managed personal budgets, 4,255 people received support, equal to about 365 per 100,000. Nationally, the average is 507.92 per 100,000. This lower figure might suggest that fewer people in Birmingham are using personal budgets for community care.
Birmingham had over 1.16 million residents in 2023, much higher than the national average of about 377,060. The city is densely populated, with 4,275 people per square kilometre, compared to 2,468 nationally. Only 0.03% of Birmingham is rural, while across England, 34.6% is rural. This urban setting might influence the type of services needed.
The city has a higher level of deprivation, with a mean deprivation decile of 2.89 against the national mean of 5.9. This means many areas in Birmingham are more deprived than the average. Deprivation can affect health and the need for care services among older people.
The lower proportion of older people might lead to less demand for some care services. However, higher deprivation levels could increase needs among those older residents. The lower rates of people receiving certain types of care might mean services are not reaching everyone who needs them. Reasons could include lack of awareness or difficulties in accessing services.
The higher use of nursing care suggests specific health needs among older people in Birmingham. Services might need to focus more on health-related support. The lower use of community care services could be an area to explore, to understand if more support or information is needed.
Overall, Birmingham's younger population and urban setting influence the care needs of its older residents. Service providers should consider these factors to ensure older people receive appropriate support.
✨ ✅ ❌When government support falls short, unpaid carers step in to provide care. However, many struggle with burnout, financial pressure, lack of social contact, and a lack of support. This section explores the number of unpaid carers, their increasing workload, and what forms of support are available.
Carers play a vital role in supporting vulnerable adults, often stepping in to provide care when professional services are unavailable or insufficient. The percentage of carers receiving direct payments highlights financial empowerment, the number of carers accessing services reflects local authority outreach, and the number turning to charities underscores unmet needs. Together, these data points reveal systemic strengths and weaknesses: low direct payment uptake may push carers toward charities, while effective services can reduce dependence on charitable support. Understanding these metrics enables targeted interventions to ensure carers receive the recognition and resources they deserve.
Unpaid carers play a crucial role in supporting vulnerable adults, often stepping in to provide care when professional services are unavailable or insufficient. Understanding the number of unpaid carers in a local authority can be complicated. On the one hand, a relatively high proportion might be indicative of not enough being done by the local authority, and/or a strong community. On the other hand, a relatively lower number can mean good service provision, lower need, lower availability to look after family, or a problem with reporting.
Still, understanding the number of unpaid carers is a baseline number that must be considered.
NOMIS NM_2213_1
These values are widely considered to be an underestimate. See this report from Carers UK for more information.
August 2021 - Patient with dementia who lives in a shared lives setting. Carer had been requesting respite from the council since September 2020. Croydon Social Prescriber helped with a referral to the local authority in March 2021. Assessment conducted, with the promise they would come back with support, which did not happen. 25 August, social prescriber used the chatbot to find the right legal wording for the situation. The email was sent at 4.52pm that day. At 5.12pm the council contacted the carer to discuss the respite. This was the impact of one letter, addressed to a senior team.
This case study is based on real data from Croydon. Have a story to tell? Let us know, and we might display it here!
Social contact is important for carers’ well-being, as it can help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Understanding the level of social contact that carers have can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a low level of social contact may indicate a need for more social activities or support groups for carers, while a high level of social contact may suggest that carers have a strong support network.
Survey of Adult Carers in England (SACE) - question 11
The type of support available to carers can vary significantly, impacting their ability to provide care effectively. Understanding the types of support available can help identify areas where additional resources may be needed. For example, a high number of carers receiving respite care may indicate a need for more support with caregiving responsibilities, while a low number of carers receiving financial support may suggest a need for additional financial assistance.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T47
Access to information is crucial for carers to navigate the social care system effectively. Understanding how easy it is for carers to get information can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of carers finding it difficult to get information may indicate a need for improved communication and support services, while a low number of carers finding it difficult to get information may suggest that existing services are effective.
Would you like social care information? Try our Chatbot!
Survey of Adult Carers in England (SACE) - question 17
Note: these values are a work in progress… expect these numbers to go up
Access Social Care and other Helplines help people with information, advice, and support related to social care. Understanding the types of calls received by carers can highlight areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of calls related to financial support may indicate a need for more financial assistance for carers, while a high number of calls related to respite care may suggest a need for additional support with caregiving responsibilities.
It is important to note that, just as in the previous section, low numbers of requests might indicate that people don’t know where to get help, don’t feel they can get (or deserve) help, or other outreach problems. This is particularly important because we often work with people where the role of a carer is not recognised, or where the carer themselves does not recognise their role.
Access Social Care casework, AccessAva data, and helpline partner submissions
In 2021, Birmingham had 7,998 unpaid carers per 100,000 people. This is slightly lower than the national average of 8,203 unpaid carers per 100,000 people. With a population of 1,143,285 in 2021, Birmingham had about 91,517 unpaid carers in total.
In 2024, 24% of carers in Birmingham said they had as much social contact as they wanted. This is less than the national average of 29.3%. This means carers in Birmingham may feel more lonely or isolated.
Birmingham had 158 carers per 100,000 people receiving direct payments in 2024, which is slightly higher than the national average of 149.9. Direct payments allow carers to choose and buy services they need.
However, for other types of support, Birmingham's numbers were lower than the national averages. Only 0.85 carers per 100,000 received part direct payments, compared to 44.8 nationally. For managed personal budgets, Birmingham had 0.85 carers per 100,000, while the national average was 65.8. This suggests carers in Birmingham are not getting as much support from these services.
Birmingham also had fewer carers receiving information and advice services, with 193 carers per 100,000 compared to the national average of 338.7. Fewer carers received respite care or other support for the person they care for, with 21 carers per 100,000 in Birmingham against 70 nationally.
In 2024, 53.6% of carers in Birmingham found it easy to get information about services. This is lower than the national average of 59.3%. This may make it harder for carers to know what help is available.
Birmingham is a large city with over 1.1 million people. It is very crowded, with 4,275 people per square kilometre, compared to the national average of 2,468.5. Birmingham also has higher levels of deprivation, with a mean deprivation decile of 2.89, while the national average is 5.9.
The high population and deprivation levels may put more pressure on support services in Birmingham. This can make it harder for carers to access the help they need.
Carers in Birmingham have lower levels of social contact and find it harder to access support services compared to the national average. The high population density and higher levels of deprivation may contribute to these challenges. It is important to improve access to information and support services for carers in Birmingham.
✨ ✅ ❌Care providers are essential for delivering social care services, including home care agencies and care homes. The quality of care they provide can vary significantly, impacting the well-being of service users. This section examines the number and types of care providers, their quality ratings, and some of the difficulties of maintaining high standards. Understanding these metrics is crucial for ensuring that vulnerable individuals receive high-quality care.
The number and types of care providers in a local authority can impact the availability and quality of social care services. Understanding the distribution of care providers directly influences people’s ability to get the care they need.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rates care providers based on their quality of care, safety, and effectiveness. Understanding the quality ratings of care providers can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of care providers with low ratings may indicate a need for improved training and support, while a high number of care providers with high ratings may suggest that existing services are effective.
Framework rates are the agreed prices that local authorities pay care providers for social care services, such as home care and residential care. These rates are crucial because they determine the affordability, availability, and quality of care in a city. If rates are too low, providers may struggle to sustain services, leading to workforce shortages, poor care quality, and limited access for those relying on council-funded care.
Understanding framework rates helps assess whether local authorities are adequately funding social care, ensuring fair pay for care workers, and maintaining a sustainable care market that meets residents’ needs.
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Several providers are finding it increasingly difficult to stay in business, and sometimes several providers collapse at once. For example, when pay rises are approved without consultation and effective immediately, providers may not be able to afford to pay their staff. This can cause a chain-effect which leads to collapse in the market, and a lack of care for those who need it.
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Workforce turnover rate is a measure of the number of staff leaving a care provider over a specific period. High turnover rates can indicate issues with staff retention, such as low pay, poor working conditions, or lack of training and support. Understanding workforce turnover rates can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed to improve staff retention and ensure high-quality care services.
NOTE: This data series is based on regional data
Staff retention is crucial for maintaining high-quality care services. Understanding the challenges faced by care providers in retaining staff can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of care providers struggling to retain staff may indicate a need for improved training and support, while a low number of care providers facing retention challenges may suggest that existing services are effective.
This dataset describes the results of a survey asking care providers about their challenges in retaining staff.
NOTE: This data series is based on regional data
Workforce_survey_data_tables, Tab 6_2
Vacancy rate is a measure of the number of unfilled positions within a care provider over a specific period. High vacancy rates can indicate issues with staff recruitment, such as low pay, poor working conditions, or lack of training and support. Understanding vacancy rates can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed to improve staff recruitment and ensure high-quality care services.
Recruiting staff is essential for maintaining high-quality care services, and for backfilling staff when they leave. Understanding the challenges faced by care providers in recruiting staff can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of care providers struggling to recruit staff may indicate a need for improved training and support, or can point to a systemic problem, such as low pay, poor working conditions, or not enough people interested in this job type.
Staff recruitment is important as it’s one of the areas that have levers to pull outside of social care, for example, by changing how many visas are awarded to social care workers.
NOTE: This data series is based on regional data
Workforce_survey_data_tables, Tab 6_2
Birmingham has a large number of care providers. In 2024, there were 210 community-based adult social care services and 259 residential social care providers. These numbers are much higher than the national averages of 63.8 and 91 respectively. This means Birmingham has many more care providers than most places in England.
Birmingham's population helps explain this. In 2023, there were 1,166,049 people living in the city, compared to the national average of 377,060.9. Birmingham is also very dense, with 4,275.4 people per square kilometre, while the national average is 2,468.5. This large and crowded population means more people need care services.
However, many care providers in Birmingham need improvement. In 2024, 25.68% of care providers were rated as needing improvement or inadequate. The national average is lower at 16.8%. This shows that a high number of providers in Birmingham are not meeting the expected standards. This could be due to various challenges they face.
One big challenge is staffing. In the West Midlands region, including Birmingham, the turnover rate was 26.69% in 2023/24, similar to the national rate of 26.7%. This means many staff are leaving their jobs each year. Also, 81.45% of providers found recruiting staff more challenging or much more challenging in 2024. This is higher than the regional average of 79.8%. Retaining staff is also hard, with 70.26% finding it more challenging, compared to 68.1% regionally. These staffing issues can affect the quality of care.
Interestingly, the vacancy rate in Birmingham was 7.07% in 2023/24, which is lower than the national average of 8.4%. This might mean that most positions are filled, but the high turnover suggests staff do not stay long. This could lead to less experienced staff providing care, which might affect service quality.
Birmingham is also more deprived than other areas. In 2019, its mean deprivation decile was 2.89, while the national mean was 5.9. A lower decile means more deprivation. Deprivation can lead to higher demand for care services and fewer resources to provide them. This could make it harder for providers to offer good quality care.
In summary, Birmingham has many care providers due to its large and dense population. But many of these providers need improvement. Staffing challenges, such as high turnover and difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff, contribute to this problem. The city's higher levels of deprivation add to the demand for care services and make it harder to deliver them effectively. To improve care in Birmingham, there may be a need for more support, resources, and policies that help providers overcome these challenges.
✨ ✅ ❌Historically, hospital delays have been due in large part, to the inability to discharge patients into social care. We no longer have DTOC data, but we can still look at the number of hospital delays and the number of facilities requiring improvement.
CQC, as the regulator of health and social care services in England, is beginning to rate Local Authorities on their social care provision. Understanding the CQC rating of a local authority should be used as the most official evaluation of service care provision. For example, a low rating may indicate a need for improved service delivery, while a high rating may suggest that existing services are effective.
Hospital delays can have a significant impact on patient care and outcomes, and are in large part the result of not having invested sufficiently in social care. Understanding the number of hospital delays in a local authority can be a sympthom of a poorly working social care sector. For example, a high number of hospital delays may indicate a need for improved discharge planning and coordination, not enough places to discharge people to, lack of sufficient staff to assess patients, or a lack of care providers.
Discharge-Ready-Date-monthly-data-webfile-November-2024, Tab UTLA Acceptable
This metric illustrates how long patients are delayed in hospital before being discharged. Higher average delays mean that patients are spending more time in hospital than necessary, which can lead to increased costs, reduced bed availability, and poorer patient outcomes. This also means that the beds are not available for people that might desperately need them for life-saving procedures.
Discharge-Ready-Date-monthly-data-webfile-November-2024, Tab UTLA Acceptable
Delayed Transfer of Care (DTOC) refers to the time between a patient being declared medically fit for discharge and actually leaving the hospital. Understanding the number of DTOCs in a local authority can help identify precisely where the social care system is failing.
Unfortunately, this dataset is no longer being generated.
Reablement is a short-term service that helps people regain independence and confidence after a period of illness or injury. Understanding the number of people receiving reablement services can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of people receiving reablement services may indicate a need for more support with daily living activities, while a low number of people receiving reablement services may suggest that existing services are effective.
Coming soon!
Service user satisfaction is a key indicator of the quality of social care services. Understanding service user satisfaction can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a low level of service user satisfaction may indicate a need for improved service delivery, while a high level of service user satisfaction may suggest that existing services are effective.
It is important to note that the people surveyed are already receiving service care. Notably absent are all the people that are not yet lucky enough to be receiving care.
Personal Social Services Adult Social Care Survey, question 1
Access to information is crucial for people using social care services to navigate the system effectively. Understanding how easy it is for people to get information can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of people finding it difficult to get information may indicate a need for improved communication and support services, while a low number of people finding it difficult to get information may suggest that existing services are effective.
Would you like social care information? Try our Chatbot!
Personal Social Services Adult Social Care Survey, question 13
An ombudsman is a person who has been appointed to look into complaints about companies and organisations. The number of cases received and decided by the Ombudsman is important because it provides insight into the volume of complaints about a local authority’s social care services and how effectively these complaints are being addressed. The number of cases received indicates the level of dissatisfaction or systemic issues within a council’s care provision, while the number of cases decided shows how efficiently the Ombudsman is processing and resolving complaints. A large gap between the two may suggest delays in complaint handling, leaving individuals waiting.
It is important to note that contacting the Ombudsman is widely considered a last resort, often discouraged, and sometimes penalised.
This report looks at different aspects of social care in Birmingham. We compare Birmingham's data to the national average. We aim to understand the current situation and find areas for improvement.
In November 2024, 99.92% of discharges in Birmingham were from acceptable trusts. This is higher than the national average of 89%. This means that most people in Birmingham were discharged from trusts that meet good standards.
In the same month, 9.72% of discharges in Birmingham were delayed. This is lower than the national average of 12.3%. Fewer delays are positive, as patients can return home or move to the next stage of care sooner.
The average delay per person in Birmingham was 0.43 days. This is less than the national average of 0.7 days. This suggests that when there are delays, they are shorter in Birmingham.
In 2024, 60.5% of respondents in Birmingham said they were satisfied with their care and support. This is lower than the national average of 64.7%. A lower satisfaction rate may mean that people feel their needs are not fully met.
However, according to another source, NatCen, 57% of people were dissatisfied with social care in Birmingham. This high level of dissatisfaction suggests a need to improve services.
In 2024, 57% of people using services in Birmingham felt it was easy to find information about services. This is lower than the national average of 68.2%. If people cannot find information easily, they may not access the services they need.
In 2024, the number of complaints received by the Ombudsman in Birmingham was 3.26 per 100,000 people. This is lower than the national average of 4.45 per 100,000. The number of complaints decided by the Ombudsman was 3.77 per 100,000 in Birmingham, also lower than the national average of 4.12 per 100,000. Fewer complaints may mean that fewer people are unhappy, or it could mean that people are not aware of how to complain.
Birmingham has a population of over 1.15 million people, much higher than the national average of around 370,000. The city is also densely populated, with 4,275 people per square kilometre, compared to the national average of 2,469.
The mean deprivation decile in Birmingham is 2.89, which is lower than the national average of 5.9. This means that Birmingham is more deprived than many other areas. Deprivation can impact people's health and wellbeing, and increase the demand for social care services.
Only 0.034% of Birmingham is rural, compared to 34.6% for England on average. This means that Birmingham is a very urban area.
Birmingham shows strong performance in some areas, such as the high percentage of discharges from acceptable trusts and lower delays in discharges. However, user satisfaction with care and support is lower than the national average, and many people find it hard to get information about services.
The high levels of deprivation and large population may increase the demand for social care services in Birmingham. This could explain why satisfaction is lower. Service providers may need to focus on improving access to information and addressing the needs of a diverse and dense population.
Lower numbers of Ombudsman complaints could be positive, but it might also suggest that people are not aware of how to make complaints. Further investigation might be needed.
✨ ✅ ❌We need to understand how much money is being spent on social care, and what this provides. First, let’s look at values reported by local authorities.
Gross Current Expenditure (2023-24) captures the total operational cost of services, indicating overall demand and financial commitment. This includes spending on residential and non-residential care, direct payments, and other social care services. Understanding gross expenditure helps assess the scale of social care provision and financial pressures on local authorities.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
This figure reflects the net cost of social care provision to the local authority, indicating the extent of financial support required to meet service demands. Understanding net expenditure helps assess the financial sustainability of social care services and the commitment level of the local authority.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
Client Contributions, otherwise known as “Charging”, show the extent to which service users offset costs. Understanding client contributions helps assess the financial burden on individuals and the local authority, highlighting the need for fair and equitable funding mechanisms.
It is important to note that not all local authorities charge for social care services, and that charging can be a barrier to accessing care for some individuals.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
Income from NHS reflects external funding and collaboration with the health sector. Understanding NHS contributions helps understand the level of integration between health and social care.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
Budget Cuts indicate financial constraints and potential service reductions. Sometimes, budget cuts are explicit, but other times, they aren’t mentioned directly, making tracking this information difficult to access.
As such, this data is not consistently available for all local authorities.
Access Social Care have made a series of Freedom of Information requests about the government’s own assessment of sufficiency of social care funding. The social care sector is in crisis, yet the government refuses to disclose how it determines funding sufficiency. Without transparency, there is little accountability, no independent scrutiny to improve decision-making, and government trust heavily impacted. Evidence from across the sector indicates a severe funding gap, but without open data, meaningful reform remains impossible. True solutions require honesty about the scale of the problem to then work towards a fair and equitable funding model.
The government appears to know how much money is required for social care, and yet they are not making that known.
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In 2024, Birmingham's gross total expenditure on social care is £42,380 per 100,000 people. This is less than the national average of £47,758 per 100,000 people. The net total expenditure in Birmingham is £36,745 per 100,000 people, while the national average is £40,471 per 100,000 people. This means Birmingham is spending less on social care compared to other areas in England.
Clients in Birmingham contribute £5,635 per 100,000 people towards their care. The national average is £7,286 per 100,000 people. This lower contribution might be because people in Birmingham have lower incomes. The NHS contributes £4,536 per 100,000 people in Birmingham, compared to £7,878 per 100,000 people nationally. This suggests that Birmingham may receive less support from the NHS for social care services.
Birmingham's population has grown from 1,150,646 in 2019 to 1,166,049 in 2023. The city is very densely populated, with 4,275 people per square kilometre. The national average is 2,469 people per square kilometre. Birmingham is also more deprived than other areas, with a mean deprivation decile of 2.89. The national average is 5.9. Low deprivation deciles indicate higher levels of deprivation.
Because Birmingham has a growing and dense population, there may be a higher demand for social care services. The higher levels of deprivation could mean that more people need support but cannot afford to pay for it. This may explain why client contributions are lower in Birmingham.
The lower spending on social care might not meet the needs of the population. With less money spent per person, services might be stretched thin. The lower NHS contributions could also affect the availability of integrated health and social care services.
Birmingham may need more resources to meet the social care needs of its residents. Policies could focus on increasing funding to match the higher demand. Addressing deprivation issues might also reduce the need for social care in the long term.
Birmingham spends less on social care per person than the national average. At the same time, it has a growing, dense, and more deprived population. This suggests that more funding and support are needed to ensure that social care services can meet the needs of the community.
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