This page provides an overview of social care in Lancashire, 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: Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Wyre
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: Burnley, Chorley, Fylde, Hyndburn, Lancaster, Pendle, Preston, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, South Ribble, West Lancashire, Wyre
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 Lancashire. 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 in Lancashire is 19.0 per cent, higher than the England average of 17.6 per cent. Because the figure is age-adjusted, it cannot be explained only by an older population. Long-term industrial work, higher smoking and low income in some towns are likely to play a part. Deprivation scores vary widely across the county, from very deprived coastal and mill districts to the more prosperous Ribble Valley. This mix suggests that some neighbourhoods carry a far heavier burden of disability than others.
During 2024, 8,425 working-age adults (18–64) asked the council for care or support. This is 663 requests per 100,000 residents, well below the national rate of 1,143. A low request rate can be read in two ways. It may show strong informal care and voluntary groups that meet need before people approach the council. Equally, it may reveal hidden, unmet need, especially in rural areas where services are distant and residents are less familiar with social-care rules. Very small numbers of formal queries about charging, legal rights and safeguarding in 2025 strengthen the view that many people never reach detailed advice.
Once a request is made, Lancashire is more likely than most councils to give long-term help. In 2024, 8,170 working-age adults received support, a rate of 643 per 100,000 compared with the England mean of 533. The county therefore shows a tight “front door” but relatively generous care packages after assessment.
The pattern of help is mixed. Community personal budgets managed by the council (250 per 100,000) sit just under the national rate of 267, while direct payments that hand control to the individual (46 per 100,000) are close to average. Residential placements are also similar to England as a whole. Nursing-level community care is slightly above average (15 versus 14 per 100,000), hinting at higher clinical complexity or strong joint work with the NHS.
The county is growing, from 1.22 million people in 2020 to about 1.27 million in 2023. Density is 427 residents per km², giving a mix of compact towns and large rural stretches. Only six per cent of the land is classed as rural in some districts, but more than 90 per cent in others. This uneven geography can make home-care visits, direct-payment recruitment and transport to day services more difficult, especially for disabled people who already face mobility barriers.
The high disability rate, set beside low request numbers, suggests that some residents who could benefit from support are not coming forward. Targeted outreach in deprived estates and isolated villages, simpler online information, and stronger links with GPs may bring need to light earlier. Maintaining Lancashire’s good conversion from assessment to service is important, but more flexible options such as direct payments and personalised technology should be expanded to suit scattered rural populations. Finally, prevention work on musculoskeletal health, mental health and employability in deprived areas could slow the future rise in disability and reduce pressure on costly residential care.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Lancashire is growing. The resident count rose from about 1.22 million in 2019 to 1.27 million in 2023. At the same time the share of people aged 65 and over moved from 20.7 per cent to 21.1 per cent. England as a whole stayed below 19 per cent during the same years. This shows that Lancashire is ageing a little faster than the country. The county is not very crowded, with around 427 people for each square kilometre, far below the national average. Many districts are also quite deprived, and the mix of rural and urban places is wide. Taken together, an older, scattered and sometimes poorer population can shape how services are used and what type of help is needed.
In 2024 the council recorded 22,150 requests for adult social care from residents aged 65 plus. That equals 1,744 requests for every 100,000 older people, well below the England figure of 2,438 per 100,000. Fewer formal requests may mean that families still give a lot of informal help, that some older people are not sure how to ask, or that early community support prevents a formal approach. Very small numbers asked for advice on assessments, charging or legal matters in 2025, again below national rates, which points to either good sign-posting or hidden unmet need.
Although fewer people asked, a larger share received a service. In 2024, 14,800 older residents were supported, equal to 1,165 per 100,000, higher than the national 1,003 per 100,000. Lancashire therefore converts a higher proportion of requests into actual care. The pattern of care leans towards traditional models. Residential placements stand at 352 per 100,000, well above the national 250, and nursing places at 126 per 100,000 just top the England rate of 122. Community support looks mixed. Direct-payment-only packages are slightly above average, showing some choice, but managed personal budgets are only half the national level. In contrast, council-commissioned community support is more than twice the England rate. The county still relies heavily on services it organises itself rather than on personalised budgets.
An ageing population, together with pockets of deprivation, is likely to push demand up in coming years. Yet current request rates are low, which may mask people who cope alone until a crisis forces a move to residential or nursing care. The high use of institutional care and council-commissioned community support hints at limited market diversity, especially in rural areas where providers find it harder to operate. Expanding flexible home-care services and promoting personal budgets could delay moves into care homes and align support with national policy goals. At the same time, better outreach and information, particularly in deprived neighbourhoods, could ensure that older adults ask for help earlier, when needs are simpler and costs lower.
In short, Lancashire is caring for a larger share of its older residents than the country, but it does so in ways that may not yet fit future expectations. Planning for steady growth in the over-65 group, widening the range of community options and targeting hidden demand will be key to sustainable services over the next decade.
✨ ✅ ❌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 about 113,000 Lancashire residents gave unpaid care. The rate was 9,119 carers for every 100,000 people, higher than the England rate of 8,204 per 100,000. Lancashire’s population is large (1.24 million in 2021) and quite mixed: some districts are very rural while others are urban and deprived. Many areas sit in the lowest three national deprivation deciles. Poor health and lower incomes often raise the need for informal care, so the high carer rate fits the local picture.
In 2024 almost one carer in three (31.8 %) said they had as much social contact as they would like. This is slightly better than the national figure of 29.3 %, yet it still means that two carers out of three feel lonely or cut off at times. When asked if it is easy to find information about support, 54 % said “yes”, below the national average of 59.3 %. The gap suggests that local systems give practical help but may not explain it clearly or reach every community, especially in rural towns and in poorer urban wards.
Care and Support statutory returns for 2024 show a strong use of direct payments. Lancashire arranged 767 direct payments per 100,000 residents, five times the England rate of 150. This points to an active personalisation policy and carers who are willing to take control of their own support. Part-direct payments, council-managed personal budgets and council-commissioned support are all well below national levels. In other words, carers either take a full cash payment or receive little structured support. Information and advice services reach 240 per 100,000 people, lower than the England rate of 339. Respite offered through help to the cared-for person stands at 78 per 100,000, slightly above the national 70, so short breaks are broadly in line with need.
Only five safeguarding cases linked to carers were recorded in 2025 (0.39 per 100,000, against an England mean of 0.75). The low count may reflect real safety, but it can also signal under-reporting, especially if awareness of safeguarding is uneven across a large, diverse county.
The high number of unpaid carers, paired with sizable pockets of deprivation, creates strong demand for flexible, low-cost support. Direct payments meet this need well, yet many carers still struggle to find guidance. Improving clear, local information—online, by phone and through community groups—could raise both knowledge and social connection. Rural districts may need mobile outreach because long travel times and low bus services limit access to drop-in advice.
Most carers do not ask for or accept council-managed budgets. Offering light-touch advice on managing a direct payment, plus easy routes back to council-arranged help, may stop people feeling overwhelmed. Small increases in respite funding could also protect carer health, keeping more cared-for adults at home and easing pressure on hospitals and care homes.
Overall, Lancashire shows strong commitment to cash-based support, but must match this with better information and wider contact networks so that every carer, wherever they live, can stay well, safe and connected.
✨ ✅ ❌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
About 1.27 million people live in Lancashire, more than three times the average English local authority. The county is only half-as dense as England as a whole and has a mix of large towns and wide rural areas. In 2024 there are 197 community-based adult social care services and 394 residential care services. The raw numbers look high, but the best guide is supply per head.
For community support Lancashire has roughly 15.5 services per 100,000 residents. The national figure, once adjusted for population, is around 17.0 per 100,000. Home-care, day services and similar support are therefore a little thinner on the ground. By contrast, residential care is plentiful. Lancashire offers about 31.0 residential providers per 100,000 people compared with a national rate close to 24.1. A higher share of its care market is still built around care homes, a pattern often seen in areas with many small, family-run homes and with pockets of higher deprivation where the home care workforce can be hard to grow.
Only 14.3 per cent of inspected services are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, better than the England average of 16.8 per cent. The gap is modest but meaningful. Lancashire’s care homes and community providers appear to be maintaining standards despite a challenging operating climate. Strong support from the local authority’s quality team and the presence of many long-standing independent operators may both help.
The North West region records a turnover rate of 25.4 per cent, almost identical to the England rate. Lancashire’s vacancy rate, at 7.3 per cent, is lower than the national 8.4 per cent, suggesting that posts do get filled, at least for the short term. Yet 81.3 per cent of services say recruiting staff is now “more” or “much more” difficult, and 69.5 per cent say the same about retention—both a little higher than national sentiment. In a county where only six per cent of land is rural in some districts but over 90 per cent in others, travel time, public transport and pay that must compete with other sectors all complicate staffing. Lower average incomes and higher deprivation also limit the pool of workers who can afford to remain in a care role.
Residential care still dominates supply, while community services lag behind population growth. People who would prefer support at home may find fewer choices, and admission to a care home can become the default when family support breaks down. The relatively good quality ratings show that, once placed, most residents receive acceptable or good care, but sustaining this will depend on staff stability. Slightly lower vacancies today do not remove the underlying risk signalled by high turnover and the widespread feeling that both hiring and keeping staff are getting harder.
Policy makers may wish to widen home- and community-based provision, especially in the more deprived urban districts where need is greatest and in remote rural areas where travel costs limit access. Investment in career pathways, transport help and affordable housing could ease workforce pressure. Without such steps Lancashire may face a growing gap between what its older and disabled residents want—care in their own home—and the services that are actually available.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
Lancashire looks after more than 1.27 million people, far above the average English authority. Its population is spread over towns and countryside, with only 427 residents per square kilometre. Many neighbourhoods sit in the lower national deprivation bands, while others are more affluent. This mixed picture shapes how people use health and care services and what “good quality” feels like on the ground.
Only 74 per cent of hospital discharges go to an “acceptable” trust, well below the national figure of 89 per cent. In a large county this may reflect long travel times or limited beds in preferred units. At the same time 13.5 per cent of discharges are delayed, slightly higher than the 12.3 per cent national average. Yet the average delay is a little shorter than elsewhere (0.66 versus 0.70 days). This suggests that Lancashire experiences many brief hold-ups rather than a few very long ones. Short delays can still disrupt flow, so closer co-ordination between hospital wards, transport and community care remains a priority.
Satisfaction with social care is positive: 67 per cent of respondents say they are content, above the England mean of 64.7 per cent. Residents also find it slightly easier to obtain information about services (69.3 per cent versus 68.2 per cent nationally). These results are encouraging given Lancashire’s dispersed settlement pattern, which can make face-to-face advice harder to deliver. Continued investment in online and telephone guidance could keep this edge. NatCen reports a 57 per cent dissatisfaction rate, but no national benchmark is available. The gap between our own survey and the NatCen figure hints at uneven expectations: people may be satisfied with day-to-day support yet concerned about cost, staffing or future access.
Lancashire receives 4.41 complaints per 100,000 residents, almost identical to the national rate of 4.45. However, 4.57 decisions are issued per 100,000, above the England figure of 4.12. A higher decision rate often follows from clearing an older backlog, tighter triage, or a willingness to take complex cases to conclusion. It does not automatically signal poorer practice, but managers should still review upheld cases for learning.
The county’s size and mixed deprivation profile place pressure on both ends of the system. Urban districts see high demand linked to poverty and ill health, while rural districts face travel barriers and workforce gaps. These factors can slow safe discharge and push families to seek more guidance, yet they have not undermined overall satisfaction. The slightly lower population density may also ease some service strain, keeping average delays down even when the proportion of delayed cases is higher.
First, better discharge planning with neighbouring trusts could raise the “acceptable trust” rate. Shared electronic records and agreed transport protocols would help. Second, focusing on rapid, same-day solutions for minor blockages could cut the proportion of delayed discharges, building on the already low average wait. Third, the council should continue to expand easy-to-use information channels, especially for deprived areas that may rely on mobile access rather than fixed broadband. Lastly, every ombudsman decision offers a learning opportunity; systematic feedback loops can turn complaints into service change, protecting the high satisfaction scores Lancashire now enjoys.
Taken together, the data point to a service that works well for most residents but must refine hospital-to-home pathways and maintain strong communication if it is to keep pace with a growing, diverse population.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Lancashire spent about £621 million on adult social care. This equals £48,873 for every 100,000 residents, a little above the England average of £47,758. When client and NHS money is taken off, the County Council’s net spend falls to roughly £497 million, or £39,154 per 100,000 people. The national net figure is higher, at £40,472. In short, Lancashire pays out slightly more than most areas in total, but the final bill that sits with the council is lower.
With a population of about 1.27 million, Lancashire is more than three times the size of a typical English authority. A large, mixed economy of urban towns and remote rural villages means many different kinds of care have to be on offer, from small home-care packages to long journeys for staff in the rural east. The county also faces marked deprivation in several districts. Low income, poor housing and long-term ill-health all raise demand for care and help to push the gross budget above the national norm.
Two income streams stand out. Client contributions come to £9,719 per 100,000 people, far above the England rate of £7,286. In cash terms that is about £123 million a year paid directly by residents. Lancashire therefore asks people to share a relatively high share of costs. NHS contributions are also higher than average, at £8,711 per 100,000 people, bringing in a further £111 million. Strong joint funding deals with the local Integrated Care Board seem to be easing pressure on the council budget.
A higher gross spend suggests that many people are receiving help. Yet the lower net spend hints at tight control of council funds. The reliance on client charges could place extra strain on households that already face poverty. At the same time, better NHS backing may give smoother support for those with complex health and care needs, for example older people leaving hospital.
Population growth of about four per cent since 2019 will continue to raise demand, while Lancashire’s low median deprivation rank points to persistent social challenges. Service managers must balance this rising need with the wish to keep charges fair. If national grants do not increase, the county may have to look for further efficiencies or risk unmet need, especially in its most deprived neighbourhoods.
Maintaining strong joint working with the NHS will be vital. So will regular reviews of charging policies to avoid widening health and wealth gaps. Given the mixed urban-rural geography, investment in digital care and community-based models could cut travel time and keep people independent for longer. Without such steps, even the current above-average gross spend may not be enough as the population ages.
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