This page provides an overview of social care in Nottinghamshire, 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: Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Gedling, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, Rushcliffe
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: Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Broxtowe, Gedling, Mansfield, Newark and Sherwood, Rushcliffe
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 Nottinghamshire. 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
About one in five residents in Nottinghamshire are disabled after we adjust for age (19.3 %). The England average is nearer one in six (17.6 %). A higher share can be linked to two local factors. First, the county has pockets of deep deprivation: some districts sit in decile 4 on the national scale, and the mean deprivation rank is lower than the England mean. Poorer health that comes with deprivation often raises disability rates. Second, population density is low at 396 residents per km², and more than half the land area is classed as rural. Rural jobs tend to be more manual and can cause long-term conditions that lead to disability.
In 2024 there were 7,900 requests for social care from adults aged 18–64. This is 935 requests per 100,000 people, well below the national figure of 1,143. A lower request rate, despite higher disability prevalence, suggests that some residents do not reach formal services. Distance to offices, poor public transport in rural parts, and limited digital skills in deprived communities may all discourage early contact. Local voluntary groups may also meet part of the need, keeping recorded demand low.
Nottinghamshire supported 4,205 working-age adults in 2024. That is 498 per 100,000, again below the England mean of 533. The gap is smaller than for requests, implying that once people do contact the council they have a fair chance of getting help, but a segment of the disabled population is still outside the system.
The mix of provision differs from the national pattern. Use of residential settings is higher (78 per 100,000 versus 61). Direct payments, both full and part, are also above average (193 per 100,000 compared with 170). By contrast, council-managed personal budgets are lower (214 per 100,000 against 267). A rural county often relies on family and friends for day-to-day support; direct payments let families choose local helpers when formal domiciliary services are thin on the ground. Higher residential use may reflect fewer community providers in remote areas, pushing complex cases into care homes.
Very few residents asked for advice on safeguarding, mental capacity or charging. The rate in every category is below the national norm. Low numbers can mean good prevention or, more likely, limited awareness of rights and processes. People living in small villages may not know how to raise concerns, and professional advocacy is scarce outside the main towns.
Nottinghamshire has more disabled people than average but records fewer contacts and fewer people in care. The pattern hints at unmet need, especially among adults who are poor, live far from centres, or lack informal support. When residents do enter the system they lean towards direct payments and residential beds, choices that fit a dispersed geography. To close the gap the council may want to:
• expand outreach in deprived and rural wards,
• invest in home care providers that cover remote areas,
• promote advice lines and advocacy so people feel able to ask for help early.
Doing so should reduce the future load on expensive residential services and let more disabled adults live independently close to their communities.
✨ ✅ ❌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 steadily, from 21.1 % in 2019 to 21.5 % in 2023. The England figure stayed near 18–19 %. Nottinghamshire therefore has a larger and faster-growing older population than the country as a whole. The total population also grew, from 819 900 to 844 494, so in absolute terms the number of older people is rising strongly each year.
Population density is 396 persons per km², far below the England average of about 2 469. This means many people live in small towns or villages. Reaching them with services can be harder and more costly than in compact urban areas. Deprivation scores differ by district, with some affluent and some poorer zones. This mix can lead to unequal access and differing expectations of care.
In 2024 the council recorded 24 025 requests for support from residents aged 65+. That is 2 845 requests per 100 000 older people, roughly 17 % above the national rate of 2 438. The high demand fits with the larger older population, but it may also show that people know how to ask for help and trust the council to respond. Only small numbers contacted the council about legal issues, safeguarding or mental-capacity worries in 2025, and those rates are below national norms. This could suggest early resolution of concerns in the community, though it may also hide unmet need where people choose not to report problems.
While requests are high, the number of older people in long-term services is 7 790 (922 per 100 000). This is about 8 % lower than the England rate of 1 003 per 100 000. The gap hints at one of two things. Either many requests are screened out or solved with short-term help, or there is hidden unmet need, perhaps because of family support, private care, or barriers linked to rural travel and cost.
Nursing home use is slightly above average (126 vs 122 per 100 000), and residential home use is almost identical to England. The striking difference is in community services. Direct payment only is used by 135 per 100 000, over twice the national rate of 55. Part-direct payment use is also higher. By contrast, council-managed personal budgets are lower (380 vs 508). This pattern shows a local culture of personal choice and informal arrangements. People appear willing to organise their own care when given the funds, which may suit a dispersed county but can place extra pressure on unpaid carers.
Rising numbers of older residents, combined with high request rates, mean demand will keep growing. The present reliance on direct payments suggests the council must ensure that information, brokerage and safeguarding keep pace, especially in isolated rural areas. At the same time, the lower overall take-up of long-term services raises questions about unmet need. Regular reviews and community outreach could help find people who struggle in silence.
Finally, the mixed deprivation profile calls for targeted action. Poorer districts may need more proactive support, while better-off areas may benefit from advice on buying private care safely. Balancing these tasks will be key to maintaining quality and controlling costs in the years ahead.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Nottinghamshire had an estimated 82,000 unpaid carers, about 9.9 per cent of the population. The national rate was 8.2 per cent. Nottinghamshire’s larger than average population (826,000 residents in 2021, more than twice the typical English authority) means the absolute number of carers is high, but the figure per head is also elevated. This suggests that informal care plays a particularly important part in meeting need, possibly because of the county’s mixed rural geography, pockets of deprivation and the distance to formal services for some residents.
In 2024 roughly 180 carers per 100,000 residents received a direct payment, a little above the England mean of 150. Uptake of other offer types is markedly lower. Signposting or universal information reached only 115 per 100,000, one-third of the national benchmark, and respite delivered to the cared-for person reached just 18 per 100,000 against a norm of 70. The absence of data for managed personal budgets and part-direct payments points to minimal use of these routes locally. Overall, about 134 carers per 100,000 received no direct support, similar to the national picture, so most local carers are still carrying their role without formal help.
Only 22.1 per cent of Nottinghamshire carers said they had as much social contact as they wanted in 2024, compared with 29.3 per cent nationally. Isolation is therefore a pronounced issue. A little over half (54.6 per cent) felt it was easy to find information about services, slightly below the England average of 59.3 per cent. In a large county where 64 per cent of some districts are classed as rural and public transport can be limited, access to groups, advice centres and respite venues is likely to be harder than in dense urban areas. Digital solutions help, yet lower broadband coverage in rural districts and lower incomes in more deprived neighbourhoods can limit the reach of online offers.
The high prevalence of unpaid care combined with low use of respite and low reported social contact suggests unmet need. Carers may be declining or unable to take up offers that demand travel or complex paperwork, so the comparatively strong use of direct payments is positive: it gives flexibility and may be easier to administer than arranging services in sparsely populated areas. However, direct payments alone do not create breaks from caring. Without access to reliable respite the risk of carer burnout rises, potentially leading to crisis admissions for both carer and cared-for person.
Average deprivation in Nottinghamshire sits in the fourth decile, more deprived than England overall, and variation across districts is wide. Carers in lower-income areas often have poorer health and fewer savings, making respite and support groups even more critical. The small number of safeguarding enquiries involving carers recorded in 2025 (two cases, 0.24 per 100,000) may reflect good prevention, but it could equally suggest under-identification given the county’s size.
Rising population will push carer numbers above 85,000 within two years if current rates hold. Strengthening early identification, widening face-to-face and online information portals, and expanding flexible respite—especially services delivered in or close to the home—should be priorities. Targeted outreach in deprived wards and rural parishes, paired with continued promotion of direct payments, could improve both take-up of support and carers’ social connectedness, helping Nottinghamshire sustain its substantial unpaid care workforce.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Nottinghamshire has 121 community-based adult social care services and 269 residential services. The county’s population in 2023 was about 844,500, well above the average English local authority (around 377,000). When the raw figures are converted to rates, the county has roughly 14 community services and 32 residential services for every 100,000 residents. Nationally the equivalent rates are about 17 and 24 per 100,000. In other words, Nottinghamshire offers a broad choice of care homes but a slightly smaller pool of community providers.
This pattern fits local geography. Population density is 396 people per km², far below the England mean of 2,469, and many districts are strongly rural. Home-care agencies find long travel times costly, so the market may lean towards care homes, which can support several clients in one place. At the same time the county is growing (up 3 % since 2019) and has pockets of deprivation. Both factors can increase care demand, especially for older adults who lack family support or accessible transport. The high number of residential providers may therefore be meeting a real need rather than signalling over-supply.
Only 16.1 % of local providers are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, slightly better than the national figure of 16.8 %. Keeping quality at this level is notable because larger markets often show wider performance gaps. The result suggests effective commissioning, good co-operation with the Care Quality Commission, and some success in spreading best practice between the many homes in the county.
The staff turnover rate is 25.5 %, almost identical to the English average, and the vacancy rate is 8.6 %, a shade higher than the 8.4 % benchmark. Managers in the region also report that 70 % find staff retention “more” or “much more” difficult, and 81 % say the same about recruitment. Both scores sit a little above national views, hinting at growing strain. Competition from retail and health, limited public transport in rural zones, and pay that is still close to minimum wage are likely causes. Without action these pressures could soon push turnover and vacancy higher, threatening the stable quality record described above.
The county has made clear choices: a strong residential base, acceptable quality, but modest community capacity. As the population rises and policy shifts towards supporting people at home, Nottinghamshire may need to expand community provision so that travel distances do not become a barrier to care. This would in turn require a larger, well-trained workforce. Tackling recruitment and retention—through career pathways, support with transport costs, or collaboration with further-education colleges—looks essential. Continued monitoring of provider ratings will be important; if workforce gaps grow, quality may slip, especially in smaller home-care agencies.
Overall, Nottinghamshire starts from a solid position but faces the usual rural challenge: how to bring flexible, home-based support to scattered settlements while keeping staff motivated. Clear commissioning signals and joint work with skills bodies could help the sector move from its current residential focus to a more balanced offer.
✨ ✅ ❌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 every person who left hospital in November 2024 went to a trust that the local authority classes as “acceptable” (99.9 per cent, national 89 per cent). This suggests strong joint working between social care and the main NHS providers. Yet 17.7 per cent of discharges were delayed, higher than the England figure of 12.3 per cent. The average length of each delay was 0.53 days, shorter than the national 0.7 days. In other words, many people meet a brief postponement rather than a small group facing very long waits. The mixed rural and urban pattern of the county may add extra travel and assessment time, especially for residents in the north-east coalfield and the rural south. A growing population of 844,500 and marked pockets of deprivation also raise demand, which can push up the number of cases that slip past the planned discharge date.
Two thirds of survey respondents in 2024 said they were satisfied with their care and support (66.2 per cent, England 64.7 per cent). This is a modest but important gain on the national score and hints that front-line staff are offering respectful, person-centred help. At the same time, a separate NatCen survey found that 57 per cent of adults expressed dissatisfaction with social care. The contrast points to uneven quality: people who receive a service feel fairly positive, while many who need help but do not receive it feel let down. This gap is consistent with rising need in a county where the average deprivation decile in some districts is below four, and where the over-65 population is expanding faster than in England as a whole.
Just under two thirds of users find it easy to get information about services (66.4 per cent), slightly below the national rate of 68.2 per cent. Limited public transport in rural areas and a digital divide in lower-income wards may play a part. Better signposting through GP surgeries, pharmacies and community venues could lift this score.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 3.67 cases per 100,000 residents in 2024 and made decisions on 3.55, both lower than the England means of 4.45 and 4.12. Fewer formal complaints may reflect effective early resolution. It could also show that people lack the confidence or knowledge to escalate concerns, a risk when information scores are only average.
Nottinghamshire shows clear strengths in securing safe discharge destinations and in maintaining broadly positive user satisfaction. Short average delays, however, mask a high volume of brief hold-ups, which still disrupt patient flow and family planning. Moderate performance on information and low complaint levels suggest a need to strengthen communication, particularly in deprived or isolated communities. Targeted investment in discharge coordination, outreach advice and digital inclusion would help sustain quality while meeting the rising demand of a growing and socially mixed 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.
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Nottinghamshire spends about £389 million on adult social care in 2024. This figure is derived from a gross expenditure of £46,111 per 100,000 residents and a mid-2023 population of 844,494. The county therefore directs a little less money per head than the England mean of £47,758. Although the gap is modest, it suggests that local services must stretch resources slightly further than the average council.
After client fees and NHS transfers are taken into account, net spend falls to roughly £332 million, or £39,333 per 100,000 residents. Again, this is below the national level of £40,472. Lower net spend can indicate efficiency, but it can also point to unmet need if residents are not receiving all the help they require. Understanding which of these explanations is true will need data on waiting lists and outcomes.
Service users pay around £6,778 per 100,000 residents, equal to £57 million in cash terms. People in Nottinghamshire therefore contribute less than the national benchmark (£7,286). Two factors may be in play. First, the county’s mixed pattern of deprivation—some districts sit in the most deprived three deciles while others are far more affluent—means that fewer older or disabled people can meet the means-test threshold. Second, the large rural population may find it harder to access day services where fees are usually collected, lowering income even if need exists.
A striking feature is the high level of health funding. NHS bodies provide about £108 million, or £12,732 per 100,000 residents, far above the England mean of £7,878. This implies strong local integration between health and care. Joint arrangements can help people leave hospital sooner and avoid costlier care packages. The county’s sizeable and growing population makes such cooperation valuable, yet it also means that any change in NHS budgets would have a sharper effect on council finances than elsewhere.
Population has risen by roughly 3 per cent since 2019, adding more than 24,000 residents. Demand for support usually rises faster than population because older age groups grow most quickly. Nottinghamshire is not densely populated—395 residents per square kilometre compared with 2,469 for England—so care workers often travel long distances. Lower spend per head therefore has to cover higher transport and staffing costs, which may reduce the hours of care that individuals receive.
At the same time the county overall sits below the national average on the deprivation index, but local variation is wide. Pockets of acute deprivation can drive higher levels of disability and long-term illness, placing extra pressure on care budgets even when the headline deprivation score looks moderate.
Maintaining services with below-average per-capita funding will become harder as the population grows and ages. Reliance on above-average NHS contributions is helpful today yet brings financial risk if national health priorities shift. The council may need to review charging policies, reinforce early-help schemes that delay entry to formal care, and continue to invest in joint commissioning with health partners. Without such measures, unmet need could rise despite seemingly stable expenditure levels.
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