This page provides an overview of social care in Leicester, 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 Leicester. 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
An age-standardised rate of 18.7 per cent of residents are disabled, slightly above the England figure of 17.6 per cent. Leicester is a dense city, with more than 5,000 usual residents per square kilometre, and it is more deprived than average (mean deprivation decile 3.6 compared with 5.9 nationally). Higher poverty and long-term ill health often go together, so the local social pattern helps to explain why disability is somewhat more common here.
In 2024 about 4,535 working-age adults asked the council for care or support. This equals 1,194 requests per 100,000 people, a little above the national rate of 1,143. The difference is modest, yet it matters when set against rapid population growth – Leicester gained almost 13,000 residents between 2021 and 2023 alone. A growing, relatively poor and young city will keep pressure on first-contact teams, so staffing levels and triage systems may need to rise with demand.
The city supports 2,565 adults aged 18-64 through long-term packages, or 675 per 100,000 residents. The national benchmark is 533, so Leicester is serving around one-quarter more people than an average authority of similar size. Service mix offers more detail:
• Community care delivered only by direct payments stands at 269 per 100,000, more than double the England rate of 122. This suggests strong take-up of personalised budgets, possibly because urban density makes it easier to recruit personal assistants.
• Residential placements reach 107 per 100,000, far above the national 61. Heavy use of residential care may point to higher levels of complex need, but it can also mean that community services are not always able to keep people at home.
• Nursing home use is nine per 100,000, below the England figure of 14, hinting that residential beds without nursing are filling the gap for some people who elsewhere might be in nursing settings.
• Council-managed personal budgets in the community are lower than average, while purely commissioned support is close to national norms. This mix shows an emphasis on either full personal control or full council control, with fewer blended arrangements.
For 2025 the recorded requests for help with assessments, care planning, charging and safeguarding are small, between 0.3 and 2.6 per 100,000, well below national means. Two explanations are possible. First, the city’s front door may resolve many queries informally, so only the most complex reach the formal register. Second, some residents might not know how to ask for further help. Given local deprivation, active outreach and clear information in community languages remain important.
Leicester supports a larger-than-average share of disabled adults, reflecting both underlying health inequalities and a youthful, fast-growing population. Demand already sits above the national norm and is likely to climb. High use of residential care shows the system is meeting need but may carry long-term cost risks. Expanding flexible community services, especially for people with complex conditions, could reduce reliance on care homes and align with personal budget preferences already evident in direct-payment data. Strong early-help and information services will help residents navigate options and prevent unplanned escalation. Targeted investment in neighbourhood teams, accessible housing and employment support should also bring health and economic benefits in a city where deprivation remains a key driver of disability.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Leicester is growing. The city gained about 10,000 residents between 2019 and 2023, reaching nearly 380,000. It is also one of the most crowded places in England, with just over 5,000 people per square kilometre – twice the national figure. Yet only around twelve per cent of residents are aged sixty-five or over, compared with almost nineteen per cent across England. The share of older people has inched up since 2019 but remains well below the national curve. A young age structure normally lowers demand for adult social care, but other factors, such as deprivation, can push need back up. Leicester sits in the third most deprived decile on average, so many older residents may age with poorer health.
In 2024 the council logged 8,350 requests for care from people aged sixty-five plus. This equals about 2,200 requests per 100,000 older residents, slightly below the England rate of 2,438. Fewer requests could mean that need is genuinely lower because the cohort is smaller, yet it could also point to barriers in finding advice. Data for 2025 show very few queries about assessments, charging or information seeking, well under national norms. In a city with high deprivation, low levels of information seeking may hint at a lack of awareness or trust in formal services.
Despite fewer requests, 3,940 older residents were actually receiving long-term care in 2024. That is 1,037 per 100,000 – just above the England average of 1,003. Taken together, the figures suggest that people who do come forward in Leicester are more likely to cross the eligibility threshold and enter long-term support.
The mix of support is distinctive. Nursing home use is low, at 37 per 100,000 versus 122 nationally, hinting at limited supply or a policy to delay entry to high-cost beds. Residential placements are slightly higher than average, while community-based help is markedly higher. Direct payments alone or in part cover about 192 per 100,000 people, over three times the national figure. The council also funds many managed personal budgets in the community. Emphasising home-based arrangements suits a dense urban area where family networks are often nearby and care homes are scarce or expensive.
A young but growing city will gradually see more older residents. Rising deprivation levels and tight housing may intensify future care needs, even if the proportion aged sixty-five plus stays low. Current reliance on community support appears effective and aligns with national policy to help people remain at home. However, the low rate of information requests points to possible unmet need. Strengthening advice services in neighbourhood hubs and GP surgeries could ensure that older people, especially in deprived wards, know how to ask for help early.
Maintaining and expanding flexible community packages should remain a priority. At the same time, planning teams should track the shortfall in nursing provision, as very frail residents may struggle if local bed numbers do not grow in step with demand. Focused investment now can prevent costly crises later and keep Leicester’s older citizens safe, independent and connected.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Leicester had about 7,230 unpaid carers for every 100,000 residents. With a city population close to 367,000, this means roughly 26,500 people were giving unpaid help to family or friends. The national rate is higher, at 8,204 per 100,000, so if Leicester followed the England pattern it would have nearer 30,000 carers. The lower figure may point to a younger age profile, to families sharing care inside the home, or simply to fewer people coming forward for assessment. It may also reflect the city’s large, close-knit communities, where some caring work is seen as part of everyday life and is therefore not recorded.
Thirty-four per cent of Leicester carers said in 2024 that they had as much social contact as they wanted. The England average is 29 per cent. Living in a very dense city – 5,027 people per km², twice the national figure – can make friends, shops and community groups easier to reach. The stronger feeling of connection is encouraging, yet two thirds of carers still wish for more contact, so the risk of loneliness remains high.
Only 43 per cent of local carers felt it was easy to get information about services, well below the national 59 per cent. This gap matters because carers often need quick guidance on money, breaks and health support. Leicester’s high deprivation level (average Index of Multiple Deprivation decile 3.6 compared with 5.9 for England) may add further barriers; people with lower income or poorer housing often have less digital access and less time to search for help.
The council’s own records show very few carers receiving funded support. Direct payments reached only 6.6 carers per 100,000 residents, or about 25 people in the whole city, versus 150 per 100,000 across England. Part direct payments were even rarer, and no carers were logged as holding a council-managed personal budget or a council-commissioned support package. Low use could stem from tight budgets, but it may also come from carers not knowing their rights; the earlier finding on poor information fits this view.
Universal services such as advice or signposting were given to about 159 carers per 100,000 residents, roughly 600 people. This is still under half the national rate. Support directed at the cared-for person, like respite, stood at 42 per 100,000, again below England. When set beside the estimated 26,500 carers in the city, the share receiving any recorded help is extremely small.
Leicester carers benefit from strong informal networks, yet formal help is limited and hard to find. In a city with high deprivation, this mix can put families under strain and may hide unmet need. Better outreach, clearer information in many languages, and a review of assessment and recording practice could bring more carers into contact with the support already funded. Without such steps costlier crises, both for carers and for the people they look after, are likely to grow.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Leicester has 110 community-based adult social care services. With a 2023 population of about 380,000, this equals almost 29 services for every 100,000 people. The average council in England has only around 17 community services per 100,000. The city therefore offers far more care in people’s own homes or in day settings than most areas. There are 90 residential homes in Leicester, or roughly 24 homes per 100,000 people. This is almost identical to the national rate. The balance shows a clear local tilt toward community care, which fits a dense urban area where short travel distances make home support practical.
While access looks good, quality is a concern. Almost 28 % of local providers are rated “needs improvement” or “inadequate”; nationally the share is 17 %. In other words, nearly one in three Leicester services fall below the standard inspectors expect. High population density and deprivation may raise demand and make it harder for managers to keep quality high. Providers must cope with a larger flow of clients who often have complex needs linked to poor health and low income. Extra workload can stretch staff, training, and supervision, leading to weaker inspection results.
The annual staff turnover rate is 25.5 %, almost the same as the England figure. Vacancy stands at 7.2 %, slightly lower than the 8.4 % national rate. At first glance the local labour market appears to hold up. Yet 81 % of Leicester employers say recruiting is “more” or “much more” challenging, versus 80 % across the country, and 70 % find it harder to retain staff, compared with 68 % nationally. This suggests that providers fill posts only by constant effort and may rely on agency staff or repeated hiring cycles. Competition for low-paid roles is strong in a city with large retail and hospitality sectors, while the cost-of-living rise hits workers hard in a deprived area.
Leicester’s population has grown by about 10,000 since 2019 and is packed into just 73 km², giving a density twice the national average. High density favours community services because carers can reach several clients quickly. However, it also means infections or service failures spread impact fast. The city sits in the third most deprived decile on average. Deprivation is linked to earlier onset of long-term conditions, so people may need care younger and for longer. This helps explain the city’s large community provider base and the pressure on staff.
Local commissioners appear to have invested in a strong network of community services that matches urban living patterns. The main risk now lies in quality and workforce sustainability. Raising inspection ratings will likely need targeted support for training, supervision, and leadership. Given continuing recruitment strain, practical steps could include joint career pathways with the NHS, subsidised travel or childcare, and promotion of caring as a long-term career. Because vacancy is still low, early action could prevent a slide in staffing that would threaten both quality and capacity.
Leicester offers more choice at home and a normal level of residential care, but too many services fall short of quality benchmarks. Workforce churn is managed for now, yet providers feel the weight of recruitment and retention difficulties. Focusing on raising quality while easing staff pressure will help ensure that the city’s strong supply translates into safe, reliable care for residents.
✨ ✅ ❌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 people who left hospital in November 2024 were sent to a provider that the Care Quality Commission rates as “acceptable”. Leicester reached 99.7 per cent, about eleven points above the England figure of 89 per cent. This shows strong joint working between the council and local NHS trusts, even in a city with high demand.
The picture is more mixed for delay. Thirteen per cent of discharges were late, a little above the national 12.3 per cent. Yet the average length of each delay was only 0.53 days, well below the England mean of 0.7 days. In other words, people are more likely to meet a short hold-up, but they do not wait long. The very dense urban setting (5,027 residents per square kilometre, twice the national rate) may explain this. Short travel times let ward staff clear beds quickly once home care or transport is ready, but crowded services can still cause a brief queue.
The adult social care survey shows that 61.8 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the help they receive, three points under the England rate of 64.7 per cent. Another local study by NatCen found 57 per cent were dissatisfied. Lower satisfaction is common in more deprived areas, and Leicester’s average deprivation decile is 3.6, compared with 5.9 nationally. High need and tighter family budgets may raise expectations that are hard to meet.
On a more positive note, 72.4 per cent of service users found it easy to get information, beating the national figure of 68.2 per cent. Clear signposting can soften the effect of limited resources by helping residents pick the right support first time.
In 2024 the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received about 4.0 cases per 100,000 residents in Leicester, versus 4.45 across England. Decisions were made on 2.4 cases per 100,000, nearly half the national level of 4.12. With a population close to 380,000, this equals roughly 15 complaints received and 9 decided. Lower complaint rates suggest either better early resolution by the council or barriers to escalation. Given the city’s high deprivation, the former would indicate effective frontline handling.
Leicester’s population has grown from 367,000 in 2019 to almost 380,000 in 2023, keeping pace with the country as a whole. Growth, urban crowding, and economic challenge all raise demand for care and support. Even so, the council delivers very safe discharges and keeps individual waits short. Work now needs to move from speed to consistency so that fewer people face any delay at all.
The gap in overall satisfaction shows that residents value personal contact and service quality, not just quick processes. Investment in workforce skills, culturally sensitive care, and community outreach could lift satisfaction without large extra cost. Clear information is already a strength and could be used to promote self-care options and digital tools, further easing pressure on front-line teams.
Finally, the low level of upheld complaints is encouraging but should be monitored. Regular audits of informal complaints and feedback would ensure that silent concerns do not mask unmet need, especially in deprived neighbourhoods where confidence in formal routes can be lower.
In summary, Leicester performs well on safety and information, moderately on timeliness, and less well on perceived quality. Targeted improvement in customer experience, alongside the existing focus on efficient discharge, should raise overall quality while keeping pace with population growth and economic challenge.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
✨ ✅ ❌?
Leicester now spends about £52,000 for every 100,000 residents on adult social care. With a mid-2023 population of roughly 380,000, this equals close to £197 million in gross terms. The national average is nearer £48,000 per 100,000, so Leicester’s spending is about nine per cent above the England norm. After taking income into account, the city’s net spend comes to about £45,000 per 100,000, or £172 million in total, still around twelve per cent above the national figure.
Only £6,600 per 100,000 comes from client charges, against a national £7,300. In cash terms that is roughly £25 million from service users. NHS bodies, on the other hand, contribute almost £9,800 per 100,000, or about £37 million, which is well above the England average of £7,900. The pattern suggests that people in Leicester have less ability to pay for care themselves, while local health partners are putting in extra funds to keep services running.
The city is compact and densely settled, with just over 5,000 residents per square kilometre, twice the national density. It is also more deprived: the mean deprivation decile is 3.6 compared with England’s 5.9. A younger, poorer and more tightly packed population often brings a higher level of health inequality and complex need. More people may need council-funded support, and fewer can afford private fees. This helps to explain why Leicester’s total spending sits above the national line while client contributions sit below it.
Population growth of about 10,000 since 2019 adds further demand. High deprivation can lead to poorer health at earlier ages, placing pressure on adult social care even before pension age. In such conditions, extra investment can reduce hospital admissions and speed up discharges. The stronger flow of NHS money hints at a joint plan to manage these pressures, perhaps through integrated teams or shared re-ablement services.
Spending above the national average is consistent with local need, yet the gap between gross and net costs shows that the council still carries most of the burden. If wider government grants fall, the city may face hard choices. Keeping NHS partners at the table will therefore be vital. Future plans could focus on prevention programmes that delay the onset of disability, and on housing options that limit expensive residential placements. Given the low level of client income, raising fees is unlikely to be a fair or effective answer. Targeted support for the most deprived neighbourhoods, backed by continued joint funding, offers a more sustainable path.
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