This page provides an overview of social care in Kingston upon Thames, 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: Kingston upon Thames
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: Kingston upon Thames
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 Kingston upon Thames. 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
The age-standardised disability rate stands at 14.4 per cent. England as a whole records 17.6 per cent. The gap suggests that a smaller share of Kingston’s residents see themselves as limited by long-term illness. Two local factors help explain this. First, the borough is comparatively affluent: its mean deprivation decile is 7.6, well above the national mean of 5.9, and health normally tracks wealth. Second, Kingston is young and highly urban, with only 0.3 per cent rural land. Younger, well-educated urban populations often report better health.
Over the last year 1,420 working-age adults asked the council for care or support. This equals 833 requests for every 100,000 residents aged 18–64, far below the England figure of 1,143 per 100,000. The lower rate could mean that fewer people need formal help, perhaps because informal family networks remain strong or because more disabled people are in work and able to fund support themselves. A second reading is that some needs are not reaching the council’s front door, especially where expectations of self-reliance are high.
The pattern in the 2025 “desire for help” survey points the same way. Only eight information-seeking contacts per 100,000 residents were logged, compared with an England rate of 2.6. Demand for advice is modest, yet when Kingston residents do approach the council they are more likely than average to ask about costs (8.2 per 100,000 compared with 5.7). This hints that the borough’s users are financially engaged and may be weighing council support against self-funded solutions.
At year-end 2024 there were 710 working-age adults in receipt of long-term council-funded care, or 417 per 100,000 residents. Nationally the figure is 533 per 100,000. The step down from request stage to support stage is therefore proportionate: Kingston sees fewer people at the front door and fewer progressing to a care package.
The mix of services is also telling. Residential and nursing placements together cover 135 people, just under 80 per 100,000. Community-based support dominates, serving around 575 people. Notably, 243 per 100,000 receive a council-managed personal budget in the community, close to the England average of 267, while only 64 per 100,000 obtain direct-payment-only support, barely half the national rate of 122. This may reflect risk management in an area where property costs are high: care managers may prefer to keep budget control when local market prices are volatile. Alternatively, the borough’s disabled residents may value the simplicity of council-commissioned services over the responsibility of managing cash.
Lower disability prevalence and lower care activity lightens immediate pressure, but Kingston’s dense urban fabric (4,512 residents per square kilometre) can mask pockets of hidden need. As housing costs rise, informal carers could move away, increasing reliance on formal services. The council may therefore wish to continue promoting personal budgets while also boosting outreach in deprived neighbourhoods, ensuring that low headline figures do not conceal unmet demand.
Overall, Kingston’s profile suggests a healthy, affluent population that uses adult social care in a measured way. Maintaining this position will depend on monitoring silent need, supporting carers, and keeping a flexible care market that can respond quickly if demand begins to mirror national levels.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Kingston has a smaller share of older residents than England as a whole. In 2019 about fourteen per cent of local people were aged sixty-five or over. By 2023 this had inched up to almost fifteen per cent, yet the national figure stayed close to nineteen per cent. The slow rise tells us that the local population is ageing, but at a gentler pace than elsewhere.
The borough is compact and busy. More than 4,500 usual residents live in each square kilometre, almost twice the national density. It is also one of the least deprived places in England: the average deprivation decile sits above seven, while the England mean is below six. These facts matter because health and care needs often grow faster where poverty is high and services are far apart. Kingston’s wealth and closeness of services may help to keep overall demand down for now.
In 2024 the council recorded 3,635 requests for care from people aged sixty-five plus. This equals 2,133 per 100,000 older residents, around thirteen per cent lower than the England figure of 2,438. A smaller pool of older people explains some of the gap, yet the lower rate hints at other factors as well. People may be healthier for longer, able to pay privately, or not know they are entitled to help.
Only 1,230 older residents were getting long-term council-funded care in 2024. That is about 722 per 100,000, while the national rate is just over 1,000. Every main type of support sits below the England average. Residential care shows the widest gap: 114 per 100,000 in Kingston against 250 nationally. Community-based personal budgets also run lighter than average, though by a smaller margin.
Several explanations fit the local picture. Better health, strong family help, and the high local cost of care homes may all reduce take-up. High property prices often mean older home-owners cross the means-test threshold and pay for their own place, so they do not appear in council figures. A focus on prevention and re-ablement, helped by short travel distances, may also keep people at home for longer.
By 2025 requests for help with advice, charging and safeguarding sit above the England norms even though formal care numbers remain low. For example, help with charging stands at 8.2 per 100,000 compared with a national 5.7. This pattern fits a borough where many older residents fund care themselves and need clear guidance on costs and rights. It also suggests that some people who do not meet eligibility rules still look to the council for information.
The share of older people will keep rising, if only slowly. Combined with longer life expectancy this is likely to push requests for help up over time. Yet present use of council-funded long-term care is modest. The council may wish to:
• Keep investing in early support and re-ablement, which seem to delay heavier care needs.
• Strengthen advice services so that self-funders and families can navigate the system with ease.
• Monitor hidden demand, especially among older renters and people on fixed incomes who may not seek help until a crisis.
Overall, Kingston’s current position is positive, yet the borough should prepare for gradual growth in care pressure as its population ages.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Kingston upon Thames had about 6 851 unpaid carers for every 100 000 residents. The England rate was higher, at 8 204 per 100 000. This lower figure fits with the borough’s small and fairly young population of around 168 000 and its high level of affluence. Better health, higher incomes and good access to paid care can all limit the need for family members to take on caring roles. The picture may also reflect the dense, urban setting: local people often live in flats with less room to look after relatives at home, so some caring moves to formal services.
Only 22.7 percent of Kingston carers said in 2024 that they have as much social contact as they would like. Nationally the figure is 29.3 percent. Living in a busy London borough does not always guarantee strong social ties; high housing costs and long commuting times can leave carers short of both money and time for friends. The result is a risk of loneliness even in a crowded place. Fewer carers per head may also mean that peer-support groups are smaller or harder to find, adding to isolation.
Just over half of carers in Kingston, 55.2 percent, feel it is easy to get information about services. This trails the England average of 59.3 percent. Good digital skills and high broadband coverage do not fully offset the challenge of navigating a complex care system. For some carers English may be a second language, while others struggle to match busy schedules with office opening hours. Lower satisfaction here signals room for clearer signposting and more face-to-face advice.
Direct financial help is used slightly less than elsewhere. Direct payments for carers stand at 126 per 100 000, against an England rate of 150. Part direct payments show a similar gap. Support managed wholly by the council or offered only through information and advice is far below national norms — 70 per 100 000 in Kingston compared with 339 in England. These numbers suggest that the local offer is targeted and perhaps narrower, relying on personalised plans rather than broad universal services.
By contrast, respite or other help delivered to the cared-for person is higher: 85 per 100 000 versus a national 70. Kingston appears to lean on short breaks to ease carer stress. This fits an area where paid home-care agencies and residential homes are plentiful, yet day-to-day funding for carers themselves is tighter.
The combination of a smaller carer population and lower use of advice services may mask hidden need. Low deprivation means many residents can purchase private care, but those who cannot may face gaps. The borough could widen early-stage information services so carers know what is available before crisis point. Strengthening community networks, perhaps through local libraries or faith groups, may also lift the share of carers who feel they have enough social contact.
Kingston’s high density makes travel to support groups easy, yet suitable venues are scarce. Using existing public buildings after hours could give carers a place to meet. Finally, the council may wish to review the balance between cash payments and respite. Greater choice over how support is delivered could boost both autonomy and well-being.
Overall, caring in Kingston upon Thames is less common than in many parts of England, but those who do provide care report thinner social ties and only moderate confidence in finding help. Addressing these softer elements of support would complete a generally solid, if selective, service offer.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Kingston upon Thames has 38 community-based adult social care services and 37 residential care homes. At first look these totals seem low when set beside the national means of 63.8 and 91. Yet the borough’s population is only about 170,000, less than half the usual council size in England. After allowing for population, Kingston has around 22 community services and 22 residential homes for every 100,000 residents. Nationally the averages stand near 17 and 24 per 100,000. This shows that community support is in good supply for the size of the area, while residential capacity is only a little below the national norm.
Kingston is very urban and dense, with more than 4,500 people per square kilometre. Travel times are short and public transport links are strong. Because of this, each provider can reach more people than in a rural county. The borough also sits in a relatively affluent part of London; its mean deprivation decile is 7.6, well above the England average of 5.9. Lower deprivation often goes with lower need for long-stay care, which could explain why demand for residential places, and therefore supply, is modest.
Only 16 % of local providers are rated “needs improvement” or “inadequate”, almost the same as the England figure of 16.8 %. This suggests that quality keeps pace with national standards even though the market is small. Good transport and higher local wealth may help services to recruit skilled staff and keep buildings in better condition, supporting quality.
The care workforce in Kingston shows mixed signals. Staff turnover in 2023/24 stands at 19 %, almost identical to the London and England mean. Vacancy is 9.4 %, a little higher than the national 8.4 %. While vacancies are not extreme, they do point to some unfilled posts that could limit growth or put stress on teams.
Managers report that 56 % find it more or much more difficult to keep staff, and almost 68 % say the same about hiring. Both figures are below the London averages of 68.1 % and 79.8 %, so Kingston seems to cope slightly better than neighbouring boroughs. The local labour market may give workers other job options, yet the area’s high living costs could still push employees to look elsewhere. Sustained attention to pay, travel costs and career paths is likely to be needed to keep vacancy and turnover from rising.
Supply of community support is strong per head, which fits well with policy aims to help people stay at home. Residential places are only a little below the national rate, but an ageing London population may lift demand over the next decade. If vacancy rates stay above 9 %, filling extra beds could be hard.
The stable quality picture gives planners a good base. Keeping that standard will depend on holding staff, so workforce programmes should stay high on the agenda. Because Kingston is less deprived, council funding from national formulas may be lower; careful use of resources will be vital to protect both community and residential services.
Kingston upon Thames has a compact but fairly balanced care market. Community services are plentiful, residential capacity is adequate for now, and quality matches the national benchmark. Workforce gaps are present but not as severe as in many parts of London. Targeted action on recruitment, pay and affordable housing for staff could guard against future shortages and help the borough keep people safe and supported close to home.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
Almost all hospital discharges for Kingston upon Thames now come from trusts that the Care Quality Commission judges to be at least acceptable. The rate stands at 99 per cent in November 2024, well above the England figure of 89 per cent. Delays after the decision to discharge are also shorter. Only 10.5 per cent of discharges are delayed, compared with a national 12.3 per cent, and the average wait is 0.605 days instead of 0.7 days. These results suggest strong joint working between the acute trust, the council and community providers. A compact geography, very dense population (4 512 residents per km²) and low rural share mean that people live close to services, so arranging home-care packages or transport is simpler than in many parts of England.
Despite smooth discharge processes, user satisfaction is weaker. In the 2024 adult social care survey, 59.6 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with their help and support, below the England average of 64.7 per cent. A separate NatCen study records 57 per cent who feel dissatisfied. Kingston is one of the least deprived boroughs in England (mean deprivation decile 7.6). Residents may therefore hold higher expectations about choice, flexibility and personalisation. Meeting these expectations can be hard when workforce supply is tight and national fee rates limit what the council can buy from providers.
Finding information looks easier in Kingston than elsewhere. In 2024, 71.4 per cent of service users said it was easy to obtain information about services, above the national result of 68.2 per cent. Good digital coverage in a well-connected, urban area probably supports this. Easy access to advice can also reduce unnecessary demand on front-line teams, freeing staff to focus on people with complex needs.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 5.87 cases per 100 000 residents about Kingston in 2024 and issued 6.45 decisions per 100 000, both higher than England averages of 4.45 and 4.12. The raw numbers are small because the borough’s population is only about 170 000, but the rate suggests that more residents feel able to escalate concerns. Higher education, better digital skills and stronger advocacy organisations often go with higher complaint rates in affluent areas. A thorough review of themes arising from these cases could show where processes or communication need to improve.
Kingston upon Thames is a small, dense and affluent borough. These characteristics help services to arrange rapid hospital discharge, yet they also raise public expectations and create a climate where weaknesses are quickly challenged. Maintaining current performance will require continued attention to workforce capacity and market sustainability. Improving satisfaction may hinge on offering more personalised options, clearer communication about what the council can and cannot fund, and faster responses to the issues highlighted by ombudsman cases. In short, operational efficiency is strong, but ongoing quality improvement should focus on the lived experience of care.
✨ ✅ ❌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 the financial year 2024 Kingston upon Thames spent about £39,430 for every 100,000 residents on adult social care. With a mid-2023 population close to 170,000, this equals roughly £67 million in gross terms. After taking away income from the NHS and from people who pay charges, the net cost falls to around £57 million, or £33,270 per 100,000 residents.
Both gross and net figures sit below the England averages of £47,758 and £40,472 per 100,000. The gap is sizeable: Kingston spends just over four fifths of the national rate.
Local people contribute about £6,160 per 100,000 residents, roughly £10.5 million in cash. This is again lower than the England norm (£7,286). NHS transfers are far smaller still: £3,494 per 100,000, or about £6 million in total, compared with a national pattern of nearly £7,900. The low NHS share suggests that joint packages such as Intermediate Care or Continuing Health Care play a smaller role locally. That leaves the council carrying a greater share of cost out of its core budget.
Need for care is often driven by poverty, poor health and rural isolation. Kingston’s context is quite different. The borough is relatively affluent, with an average deprivation decile of 7.6, well above the England mean of 5.9. This means fewer residents qualify for fully funded support. At the same time the area is densely built (4,512 persons per km²) and strongly urban, so travel times for home care staff are short, keeping unit costs down.
The population is also smaller than an average English authority and has grown only slightly in recent years. A compact, affluent, well-connected community therefore requires less intensive public funding than a larger, poorer or more scattered area.
Lower spending is not automatically a sign of efficiency. Housing costs and wages in south-west London are high; providers may struggle to recruit at rates based on below-average fees. If NHS contributions remain modest, the council may face pressure when residents leave hospital needing re-ablement or nursing.
Kingston’s older population share is still below the England average, yet it is rising. A small change in demand could push spending up quickly. Without clearer information on future government allocations—the point raised in the accompanying comment about undisclosed funding needs—financial risk will sit with the council.
Sustaining quality care on a lean budget will need strong partnership with the local NHS, better use of client contributions, and continued focus on prevention. Monitoring wage levels, provider viability and delayed discharges will show whether present funding is enough. If service pressures rise, Kingston may have to increase council tax precepts or lobby for a fairer share of national grants to protect residents who depend on care.
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