This page provides an overview of social care in North Somerset, 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: North Somerset
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: North Somerset
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 North Somerset. 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 share of residents who say they are disabled is 17.6 per cent. This is the same as the England rate, so the area does not stand out for how many disabled people it has. North Somerset is, however, smaller, more rural and less deprived than the average local authority. In 2023 it had 221,000 people and a density of only 580 persons per km², far below the national figure of 2,469. These features shape how and where support must be delivered.
In 2024 the council recorded 2,415 requests for care from working-age adults. This equals 1,092 requests per 100,000 residents, a little below the national rate of 1,143. Fewer requests could mean better health in the local population, effective early help, or unrecognised need in rural communities where services are harder to find. Growth in the total population suggests that demand may rise unless prevention keeps pace.
There were 1,085 working-age adults on long-term support, or 491 per 100,000 people, again below the England average of 533. The mix of services is striking. Nursing care stands at 20.3 per 100,000, well above the national 13.8. Residential placements are also higher, 85.9 versus 60.6. By contrast, direct payment-only community packages (95 per 100,000) and part direct payments (24.9) trail national use. Managed personal budgets in the community match the England norm.
The figures imply that when local adults do reach services they are more likely to need—or be steered towards—institutional care. Longer travel times for home-care staff and limited specialist provision in rural villages may make community options harder to arrange, pushing complex cases into nursing or residential homes. Lower take-up of direct payments hints at residents finding it difficult to manage their own support or at a culture that still favours council-arranged care.
In 2025, requests for help with charging issues (10.9 per 100,000) and information seeking (4.5) were roughly twice the national rates. Higher volumes here may show that people are uncertain about how to fund care or how to navigate a system that involves both county and parish services spread over a wide area. Requests linked to safeguarding are also above average, suggesting vigilance but also possible hidden risks in isolated communities.
A lower headline demand gives the council room to focus on early intervention, yet the above-average use of nursing and residential beds points to gaps in flexible community support. Expanding home-care capacity, improving transport for staff, and promoting direct payments could let more disabled adults stay in their own homes. Clear, simple advice on charging rules should continue, as many residents already seek this help. As the population grows, targeted outreach in pockets of deprivation—masked by the area’s overall affluence—will be vital to ensure that need does not go unseen.
✨ ✅ ❌Older People
Just like with Working Age people, knowing how many older people are requesting social care, how many people are recieving care and what percent of the population is 65+ helps understand need and social care provision at a top level.
Jamaican female, blind and in her 40s. She was in an emergency Bed & Breakfast with her Niece, who acts as her unofficial carer, she is unable to work but would like to go to University. She is receiving PIP but not the Daily Living Allowance which she applied for in June 2021. She is vulnerable and has a history of self harm so was assigned a rehab Support Worker. Vanessa supported her using the Chatbot to chase up her PIP Daily Living allowance application, after waiting for several months and they received a reply within a week but was awarded the lower rate.
Another Chatbot letter was sent to request an urgent assessment due to her vulnerability and this was action quickly by the LA. Vanessa also supported her to use the chatbot and ask the Social worker to be moved to a place that supports her needs and rights. As she was having to use a shared bathroom, toilet and kitchen in a place with drug/alcohol abusers and being blind with no carer, this left her vulnerable. The Chatbot was used again to raise this issue and after a few weeks she was successfully moved to a private property in another area.
This case study is based on real data from Croydon. Have a story to tell? Let us know, and we might display it here!
As above, it is important to see what type of care older people are being provided because it can help explain where additional work is needed.
ASCFR and SALT Data Tables 2023-24 Sheet T34
The share of residents aged 65 and over has risen each year, from 23.7 % in 2019 to 24.1 % in 2023. England stayed near 18–19 % over the same period. North Somerset is therefore ageing faster and already starts from a higher base. The total population lifted by about 5,600 people, yet older people grew even more quickly, so age-related demand is rising strongly.
This pattern fits the area’s wider profile. The district is 55 % rural and much less densely settled than England (580 versus 2,469 residents per km²). It is also a little less deprived, sitting in decile 7 on average. Such places often attract retirees who seek space, coast and countryside. As a result, services must cover a scattered geography while meeting above-average older demand.
In 2024, 7,025 residents aged 65 + asked for care or support. This is equal to 3,177 requests per 100,000 older people, around 30 % above the national rate of 2,438. The gap is not simply due to population size; it shows that a larger slice of the older group is turning to formal services. Reasons could include limited family networks in rural villages, higher prevalence of long-term illness, or good local awareness of how to seek help.
Only 2,110 older residents actually received long-term adult social care in 2024. That equates to 954 per 100,000, slightly below the England figure of 1,003. The contrast between high requests and lower-than-average packages hints that many assessments end without ongoing support. Some people may be signposted elsewhere, buy care privately, or withdraw after facing eligibility rules. Whatever the cause, it suggests possible unmet or self-funded need that the council should monitor.
The mix of services differs from the national picture. Nursing home use is high at 255 per 100,000, over double the England rate. Residential care is also above average (312 versus 250). In contrast, community options that offer more independence are lower. Direct payments on their own reach only 41 per 100,000 compared with 55 nationally, and part direct payments are far lower. Council-managed personal budgets in the community are well below England’s figure too.
This tilt towards institutional care may reflect the spread-out settlement pattern, which makes domiciliary care rounds less efficient, pushes costs up and limits provider interest. Workforce shortages in home care could reinforce the trend. Shifting more support into people’s homes would help align with current policy aims but will need market development and possibly travel cost supplements.
Data for 2025 shows older residents often contact the council for charging issues, at 10.9 per 100,000 compared with 5.7 nationally. Requests about assessments and care planning are also higher than average. The pattern points to uncertainty about eligibility and costs. Strengthening early information, clear charging leaflets and online tools could cut avoidable enquiries and improve user confidence.
North Somerset is already older than England and continues to age. Demand for help is growing faster than supply, and the current offer leans towards nursing and residential beds. To manage future pressure the council may need to:
• Expand home care and personal budget options, especially in rural villages.
• Work with health partners on prevention to slow the flow of new requests.
• Improve financial advice so people understand support earlier.
• Track hidden or self-funded need to avoid crises.
Timely action will allow residents to stay independent for longer and keep high-cost placements under control as the ageing trend accelerates.
✨ ✅ ❌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 North Somerset had about 18,800 unpaid carers, or 8,630 per 100,000 residents. This is modestly above the England rate of 8,204 per 100,000. The area’s population is growing, rising by roughly 5,600 people between 2019 and 2023, and it is more rural and less densely settled than the national norm. A dispersed population of small towns and villages often relies more on family and neighbours for day-to-day help, so a slightly higher carer rate is to be expected. The borough is on average less deprived, yet the wide spread of deprivation scores suggests pockets of need where informal care fills gaps that formal services do not reach.
Just 28.8 % of carers said they had as much social contact as they would like, a shade below the national figure of 29.3 %. Isolation can be acute in rural settings where transport and respite options are limited. Although the borough enjoys overall affluence, limited local services and the time demands of caring may stop people from taking part in community life.
Only 55 % of carers felt it was easy to find information about support, compared with 59.3 % across England. Distance from large service hubs and the complexity of mixed rural-urban provision may make it harder to navigate help. Improving online advice will help some, but older carers who prefer face-to-face guidance may still struggle unless outreach is expanded.
North Somerset issues direct payments to carers at a rate of 149 per 100,000, almost identical to the national average. However, no carers receive part-direct payments or council-managed personal budgets, while in England these routes serve about 45 and 66 carers per 100,000 respectively. Reliance on a single funding route can limit flexibility and may not suit carers who want a lighter-touch arrangement.
Use of information, advice and other universal services stands at 267 per 100,000, well below the national figure of 339. Lower take-up mirrors the finding that information is harder to obtain and suggests that many carers simply do not know what is available.
Conversely, respite or other support delivered to the cared-for person is used by 120 carers per 100,000, far above the England average of 70. In a largely rural district it can be more practical to provide breaks by stepping in for the cared-for person at home rather than asking the carer to travel to external services.
The dataset records a single instance (0.45 per 100,000) in the UT1 Carers category for 2025, lower than the national rate of 0.75. Although numbers are very small, this may reflect either genuinely fewer safeguarding or complex-need cases or lower identification rates.
North Somerset has a larger than average unpaid caring population whose members are more isolated and less well informed about support. Service design should focus on widening information pathways, perhaps through joint work with primary care and community groups, and on offering a broader mix of direct and council-managed budget options. Expanding respite that comes to the home appears to meet local geography and preference, yet the borough must ensure that carers who need alternative forms of relief or social contact can also access them. Continued population growth means demand is likely to rise, so proactive planning now will prevent widening gaps in the future.
✨ ✅ ❌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
North Somerset has 25 community-based adult social care services. The England figure is almost three times higher, at about 64. The area also holds 94 residential social care homes, a little above the national average of 91. This mix points to a system that leans more on care homes than on care in people’s own houses.
The local setting helps to explain the pattern. More than half of residents live in rural places and population density is low at 580 people per square kilometre, far below the England rate of 2,469. For a home-care firm, long travel times between villages raise cost and cut the number of daily visits each worker can make. Running a single care home in a rural centre can therefore look more secure than running many small community teams. As a result, choice for people who wish to stay at home may be limited.
Only 16.0 per cent of local providers are rated “needs improvement” or “inadequate”, slightly better than the national figure of 16.8 per cent. The small gap suggests that, despite the rural challenges, most services keep to expected standards. Lower deprivation may help: the average deprivation decile is 6.9 compared with the England average of 5.9, which means fewer households face deep poverty. This can ease pressure on care budgets and allow providers to spend more on training and equipment.
The staff turnover rate stands at 26.1 per cent, almost the same as the England level. Vacancies are also in line with the national picture at about 8.4 per cent. However, 89 per cent of managers say recruiting is “more” or “much more” difficult, and 77 per cent say the same for retaining staff; both shares are well above national sentiment. In a county with many small towns and villages, workers may need to drive long distances for modest pay, which can push them toward other jobs. Population growth from 215,540 in 2019 to 221,146 in 2023 is likely adding further demand, so even an average vacancy rate may feel acute on the ground.
The present model meets basic quality goals but may not be future-proof. A rising and ageing population will want more care at home, yet the current supply of community services is small. Travel costs, rural roads and staff shortages all act as barriers. Local leaders may wish to offer fuel support, pool rotas across providers or invest in digital care tools to make home visits more efficient. At the same time, keeping turnover low will need better pay, training routes and links with nearby colleges, so that staff view social care as a long-term career.
In summary, North Somerset delivers broadly safe care today, but limited community capacity and tough recruitment conditions pose clear risks. Addressing these points early can help people remain independent and reduce pressure on hospitals in the years ahead.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
North Somerset has about 221,000 residents, smaller than the average English council. More than half of the area is classed as rural and population density is only 580 people per square kilometre, far below the England figure of 2,468. The area is also less deprived, sitting in decile 7 on average. These points shape how people use health and care services and how quickly providers can respond.
The council works with local hospitals classed as ‘acceptable’ for safe discharge. In November 2024 every recorded discharge (100 percent) came from one of these trusts, beating the national figure of 89 percent. This shows clear joint working and good use of quality-assured beds.
Yet the speed of discharge is a worry. About 15.7 percent of discharges were delayed, higher than the 12.3 percent seen across England. When a delay happened, the average wait was 1.28 days, almost double the national 0.7 days. Rural travel times and the need to organise community support in scattered villages likely add to this drag. Longer waits keep people in expensive acute beds and may slow recovery.
Sixty-nine percent of survey respondents said they were satisfied with their care and support, above the England average of 64.7 percent. This good score may reflect lower deprivation and smaller population size, which often allow more personalised care.
A different source reports that 57 percent were dissatisfied with social care. Without a national figure it is hard to benchmark, but the gap between the two questions suggests mixed feelings. People might value frontline staff yet feel services are stretched or hard to reach.
Only 64.8 percent felt it was easy to find information about services, slightly below the national 68.2 percent. In a rural county, digital coverage and fewer visible advice centres can make signposting harder, even when overall satisfaction stays high.
North Somerset saw 4.07 complaints received and 3.62 decisions made by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman per 100,000 residents in 2024. Both figures sit just under the national rates of 4.45 and 4.12. The lower complaint rate supports the positive satisfaction score, but it may also reflect barriers to raising formal concerns in rural communities.
The authority delivers care that most users like and that generates few external complaints. Strong links with safe hospital providers back this up. The main challenge is moving people out of hospital quickly. Longer delays hint at pressure on homecare and reablement teams, or at transport and housing issues common in less dense areas.
Improvement work could focus on expanding rapid homecare, improving transport links, and giving families clearer discharge plans. Better public information – via libraries, local hubs and online channels – should also close the gap on the national benchmark for finding help. Continued attention to these points will protect the area’s good satisfaction levels while cutting costly delays.
✨ ✅ ❌We need to understand how much money is being spent on social care, and what this provides. First, let’s look at values reported by local authorities.
Gross Current Expenditure (2023-24) captures the total operational cost of services, indicating overall demand and financial commitment. This includes spending on residential and non-residential care, direct payments, and other social care services. Understanding gross expenditure helps assess the scale of social care provision and financial pressures on local authorities.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
This figure reflects the net cost of social care provision to the local authority, indicating the extent of financial support required to meet service demands. Understanding net expenditure helps assess the financial sustainability of social care services and the commitment level of the local authority.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
Client Contributions, otherwise known as “Charging”, show the extent to which service users offset costs. Understanding client contributions helps assess the financial burden on individuals and the local authority, highlighting the need for fair and equitable funding mechanisms.
It is important to note that not all local authorities charge for social care services, and that charging can be a barrier to accessing care for some individuals.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
Income from NHS reflects external funding and collaboration with the health sector. Understanding NHS contributions helps understand the level of integration between health and social care.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T3
Budget Cuts indicate financial constraints and potential service reductions. Sometimes, budget cuts are explicit, but other times, they aren’t mentioned directly, making tracking this information difficult to access.
As such, this data is not consistently available for all local authorities.
Access Social Care have made a series of Freedom of Information requests about the government’s own assessment of sufficiency of social care funding. The social care sector is in crisis, yet the government refuses to disclose how it determines funding sufficiency. Without transparency, there is little accountability, no independent scrutiny to improve decision-making, and government trust heavily impacted. Evidence from across the sector indicates a severe funding gap, but without open data, meaningful reform remains impossible. True solutions require honesty about the scale of the problem to then work towards a fair and equitable funding model.
The government appears to know how much money is required for social care, and yet they are not making that known.
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In 2024 North Somerset is spending about £52,653 for every 100,000 residents on adult social care. With a local population close to 221,000, this equals roughly £116 million in gross terms. After taking away income, the net bill is near £96 million, or £43,550 per 100,000 people. Both figures sit above the England averages of £47,758 and £40,472 per 100,000. The area therefore invests more money per head than the typical council.
People who use services in North Somerset give larger contributions than in most areas: about £9,102 per 100,000 residents, equal to £20 million a year. This is 25 % higher than the national rate. The council can collect more because the district is less deprived (mean deprivation decile 6.9 versus the England figure of 5.9). Many residents have savings or housing wealth, so they cross the means-test threshold and pay towards their care.
By contrast, the local NHS puts in only £6,811 per 100,000 residents, around £15 million. That is 14 % below the national level. Lower health funding may reflect fewer jointly funded continuing-care packages or slower progress on pooled budgets. As a result, a larger share of cost falls to the council tax payer.
Population factors help explain the higher outlay. North Somerset is growing steadily, up by about 5,600 people since 2019. It is also a largely rural and coastal district, with 55 % of residents living in rural zones and a density of only 580 people per km² compared with 2,469 nationally. Staff and equipment must travel further, and small care homes scatter across villages, raising unit costs.
Local demography adds pressure. Although detailed age data are not in the table, North Somerset is well known for an older age profile, attracted by seaside towns and good quality of life. Older people are the main users of care, so even modest growth in their numbers quickly lifts expenditure.
The council’s above-average spending per head suggests a commitment to keep pace with local need, yet the lower NHS contribution hints at room for better integration. Strong client income helps balance the books for now, but it depends on residents’ continued ability to pay. Rising population and possible further ageing could stretch budgets if government grants stay flat.
Service planners may need to look at new home-care models that cut travel time in sparsely populated areas, while finance officers should press health partners for a fairer share of joint funding. Monitoring how much of the extra money translates into improved outcomes—shorter waits for assessments, fewer unmet care hours, higher satisfaction—will be vital to show that the higher spend brings real value.
North Somerset spends more on social care than the average English authority, draws significant income from service users, but secures less help from the NHS. Rural geography, an older population, and modest deprivation shape this picture and will steer future funding decisions.
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