This page provides an overview of social care in Doncaster, 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.
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.
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 Doncaster. 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
Doncaster has 20.4% of people living with disabilities. This is higher than the average of 17.6% in England. This means that more people in Doncaster have disabilities compared to other places.
In 2024, 5,145 working-age adults in Doncaster asked for care. This is 1,637.6 people per 100,000. The national average is 1,143.5 per 100,000. This shows that more people in Doncaster are requesting care services.
However, only 1,605 working-age adults in Doncaster received care in 2024. This is 510.9 people per 100,000, which is slightly less than the national average of 532.7 per 100,000. Even though more people are asking for care, fewer are receiving it compared to the rest of the country. This could mean that some people are not getting the help they need.
Different types of care are provided in Doncaster. For residential care, 85.9 people per 100,000 received this service, which is higher than the national average of 60.6 per 100,000. Community care with direct payments was used by 175.1 people per 100,000, also higher than the national average of 122.2 per 100,000. This suggests that these services are important for people in Doncaster.
Doncaster has higher levels of deprivation. The mean deprivation decile is 3.95, while the national average is 5.9. Lower deciles mean more deprivation. Higher deprivation can lead to more health problems and disabilities. Doncaster also has fewer rural areas and a lower population density than the national average. These factors can affect how services are delivered.
Overall, many people in Doncaster have disabilities and are asking for care. But not everyone is receiving the help they need. This may be due to problems with accessing services or not enough resources. It is important to look at how care is provided in Doncaster to make sure people get the support they need.
✨ ✅ ❌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
The proportion of older people in Doncaster has steadily increased from 19.18% in 2019 to 19.62% in 2023. This is consistently higher than the national average, which was 18.5% in 2023. Doncaster's ageing population suggests that local services need to adapt to meet the growing needs of older residents.
In 2024, there were 9,460 requests for care from residents aged 65 and over in Doncaster. This equals 3,011 requests per 100,000 people, higher than the national average of 2,438 per 100,000. The greater demand for support may be due to health issues or limited family assistance among older people in the area.
A total of 3,150 older residents were receiving care, which is about 1,003 per 100,000 people—similar to the national average. However, the types of care differ. Residential care is more common in Doncaster, with 415 residents per 100,000 compared to 250 nationally. Fewer receive nursing care, at 70 per 100,000 versus 122 nationally. This might indicate a need to expand nursing services.
Community care through direct payments is slightly higher in Doncaster. There are 75 per 100,000 receiving direct payment only, and 35 per 100,000 with part direct payment, compared to national figures of 55 and 22 per 100,000. This shows that community-based options are important for older residents.
Doncaster has higher levels of deprivation, with a mean deprivation decile of 3.95 compared to the national average of 5.9. This may contribute to increased demand for care, as economic challenges can affect health and access to private services. The population density is lower than average, which might impact access to services, especially in rural areas.
Doncaster's higher proportion of older people and greater demand for care services highlight the need for continued investment in residential and community care. Addressing factors like deprivation and service accessibility can improve outcomes for older residents and ensure resources are used effectively.
✨ ✅ ❌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, Doncaster had more unpaid carers than the average in England. There were 9,113 unpaid carers per 100,000 people in Doncaster. In England, the average was 8,204 per 100,000. This means more people in Doncaster are providing care without pay.
Doncaster's population has grown from 308,438 in 2019 to 314,176 in 2023. The town is less crowded than other parts of England. There are 542 people per square kilometre in Doncaster, while in England there are 2,469 people per square kilometre. This lower population density might make it harder for carers to access support services.
In 2024, only 19.5% of carers in Doncaster said they had as much social contact as they would like. Across England, 29.3% of carers felt the same. Carers in Doncaster might feel more alone. This could be because services and support groups are harder to reach.
Carers in Doncaster also found it harder to get information. In 2024, 45.3% said it was easy to find information about services. The average in England was 59.3%. This suggests that many carers in Doncaster might not know what help is available to them.
The support given to carers in Doncaster is different from other areas. For example, fewer carers received direct payments. Doncaster provided direct payments to 110 carers per 100,000 people. The average in England was 150 per 100,000. Very few carers in Doncaster got managed personal budgets: only 3 per 100,000, compared to 66 per 100,000 in England. This means carers in Doncaster might get less financial help.
Doncaster also had fewer carers with no direct support: 91 per 100,000 people, while the England average was 130 per 100,000. This could mean that more carers in Doncaster are getting some form of support. Doncaster provided more respite care, with 81 per 100,000 people, compared to 70 per 100,000 in England. This helps carers by looking after the person they care for, giving the carer a break.
Doncaster has higher levels of deprivation. Its mean deprivation decile is 3.95, while for England it is 5.9. This higher deprivation may affect carers. They might have less access to resources and support services.
Carers in Doncaster face many challenges. There are more unpaid carers, but fewer feel they have enough social contact. Many find it hard to get information about services. Support provided is different from other areas, with less financial help. Higher deprivation might make these problems worse.
Improving access to information and support could help carers in Doncaster. Providing more financial help and social opportunities might also improve their well-being.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Doncaster has a growing population. In 2023, there are 314,176 people living in the area. This is less than the national average of 377,060.9 people. Doncaster is less crowded than many places in England, with 542 people per square kilometre compared to the national average of 2,468.5.
There are 46 community-based adult social care services in Doncaster. The national average is about 64 services. For residential social care, Doncaster has 72 providers, while the national average is 91. This means Doncaster has fewer care providers than many other areas.
When we look at the number of providers per 100,000 people, Doncaster has about 15 community-based services and 23 residential care providers per 100,000 people. The national averages are about 17 and 24 providers per 100,000 people, respectively. So, Doncaster has slightly fewer providers for its population size.
Only 11% of care providers in Doncaster need improvement or are inadequate. This is better than the national average of 16.8%. This suggests that care providers in Doncaster are better than average.
The turnover rate for care staff in Doncaster is 25.2%, which is similar to the national rate. However, 70.5% of providers in Doncaster say that keeping staff is more challenging now. This is slightly higher than the national average of 68.1%.
The vacancy rate in Doncaster is 8.8%, compared to the national rate of 8.4%. Also, 82.5% of providers find it more challenging to recruit new staff, which is higher than the national average of 79.8%.
Doncaster has a higher level of deprivation than many areas. On average, it ranks lower on the deprivation decile, with a score of 3.95 compared to the national average of 5.9. This means there may be more people in need of social care services.
With a growing population and higher levels of deprivation, the demand for care services in Doncaster may increase. However, there are fewer care providers per person than the national average. While the quality of care is good, staffing challenges could make it harder to meet the needs of the community.
Providers are finding it harder to recruit and keep staff. This could lead to higher vacancy rates and make it difficult to offer enough services. Addressing these staffing issues is important to ensure that people in Doncaster receive the care they need.
Doncaster has strong care providers with lower rates of needing improvement. However, there are fewer providers per person, and staffing challenges are higher than average. With a growing and potentially high-need population, focusing on recruiting and retaining care staff is important. This will help maintain the quality of care and meet the needs of the community.
✨ ✅ ❌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
[1] "No data available for this local authority"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.
Doncaster shows strong performance in some areas of social care, but there are also challenges to address. This report examines key indicators of quality improvement, comparing Doncaster to national averages, and considers factors such as population and deprivation.
In November 2024, 99.37% of discharges from Doncaster's trusts were acceptable, which is higher than the national average of 89%. This suggests that Doncaster's trusts are efficient in managing patient discharges. The percentage of delayed discharges in Doncaster was 9.11%, lower than the national average of 12.3%. The average delay was 0.18 days in Doncaster, compared to 0.7 days nationally. These figures indicate that patients in Doncaster experience fewer and shorter delays when leaving care.
In 2024, 65.1% of respondents in Doncaster said they were satisfied with their care and support, slightly above the national average of 64.7%. This means that most people feel positive about the services they receive. However, another source reported that 57% are dissatisfied with social care. This suggests that, while many are happy, a significant number are not satisfied with the care they receive. Understanding why some people feel dissatisfied is important for making improvements.
Only 63.3% of people using services in Doncaster felt it was easy to find information about services, which is below the national average of 68.2%. This means that over one-third of service users in Doncaster have difficulty accessing the information they need. Improving access to information could help more people get the support they require.
Doncaster's population increased from 308,438 in 2019 to 314,176 in 2023. The area has a lower population density, with 542.4 residents per square kilometre in 2021, compared to the England average of 2,468.5 residents per square kilometre. Doncaster is less rural, with 17% rural areas compared to the national average of 34.6%.
The area faces higher levels of deprivation, with a mean deprivation decile of 3.95, while the national average is 5.9. A lower decile indicates more deprivation. The mean deprivation rank for Doncaster is 11,275.15, which is lower than the England mean of 17,686.4. Higher deprivation can increase the demand for social care services and present challenges in delivering support.
Doncaster performs well in managing discharges, with high rates of acceptable discharges and fewer delays. User satisfaction is slightly above average, but there is still a notable number of people who are dissatisfied. Access to information about services is an area where Doncaster falls below the national average, indicating a need for improvement.
The higher levels of deprivation may contribute to the challenges faced in social care. More people may need support, and resources might be stretched. To improve services, it could be helpful to focus on providing better information to users and understanding the reasons behind dissatisfaction. Addressing these issues may lead to better outcomes for people in Doncaster who use social care services.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
✨ ✅ ❌?
In 2024, Doncaster's gross total expenditure on social care is £50,939.90 per 100,000 people. This is higher than the England average of £47,758.16. The net total expenditure is also higher in Doncaster, at £41,587.80 per 100,000 people, compared to the national average of £40,471.81.
One reason for the higher spending could be Doncaster's level of deprivation. In 2019, Doncaster had a mean deprivation decile of 3.95, which is lower than the England average of 5.9. A lower decile means more deprivation. This may lead to a greater need for social care services, increasing the expenditure.
Doncaster's population has been growing slightly, from 308,438 in 2019 to 314,176 in 2023. Although it is smaller than the England average population, the steady increase may add to the demand for social care services.
The client contributions in Doncaster are £9,352.10 per 100,000 people, higher than the national average of £7,286.35. This suggests that people in Doncaster are paying more towards their care. This might be because more people are using services that require contributions, or the contributions per person are higher.
NHS contributions in Doncaster are £6,013.12 per 100,000 people, which is less than the England average of £7,878.45. This lower funding from the NHS may mean that Doncaster has to spend more from its own budget to meet the social care needs of its residents.
Doncaster has a population density of 542.4 people per square kilometre, which is lower than the England average of 2,468.5. It also has a lower percentage of rural areas (17.03%) compared to the national average (34.6%). This urban setting might influence the type and cost of social care services needed.
The higher spending on social care in Doncaster reflects the challenges it faces due to higher deprivation levels and increasing population. The lower NHS contributions may put additional pressure on local resources. Understanding these factors is important for planning and providing effective social care services in the area.
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