This page provides an overview of social care in Oldham, 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 Oldham. 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
Oldham’s age-standardised disability rate stands at 20 per cent, compared with a national average of 17.6 per cent. This gap suggests that more residents live with limiting conditions than in a typical English area. Oldham is more deprived than most authorities (mean deprivation decile 3.8 against 5.9) and has a younger, densely settled population. Long-term illness and disability often track deprivation, so the higher rate is consistent with the borough’s socio-economic profile.
During 2024 the council recorded 3,500 requests for care from working-age adults. This equates to 1,422 requests per 100,000 residents, about one quarter higher than the England figure of 1,143. The elevated demand indicates that disabled adults are turning to statutory services earlier or more often, possibly because family networks have limited capacity in a high-need, low-income area.
Of those seeking help, 1,655 adults went on to receive a care package. The resulting service rate is 672 recipients per 100,000, again around 26 per cent above the national mean of 533. Oldham therefore moves a similar share of people from enquiry to support as other authorities, but the initial pool is larger, so absolute workload is heavier.
The mix of services shows clear local choices. Only 30 residential beds are occupied per 100,000 people, barely half the national rate of 61. Nursing placements are also modest in absolute terms (20 per 100,000) yet sit above the England benchmark of 14. Community support dominates: 278 per 100,000 take a direct-payment-only package, more than twice the England figure of 122, and a further 83 per 100,000 mix direct payments with commissioned hours. Personalisation is therefore strong, perhaps reflecting cultural expectations or a strategic decision to reduce building-based care. The council-managed personal budget rate (258 per 100,000) is slightly below the England average, suggesting that Oldham actively encourages self-directed support.
Smaller but telling numbers emerge from requests for non-care interventions. Queries about charging reach 11.8 per 100,000—double the national figure of 5.7—while help with information searching also stands above average. In contrast, safeguarding and legal complaints match national levels. The pattern points to financial anxiety among disabled households, unsurprising in a borough where average incomes are low and the cost of living disproportionately hits those with disabilities.
Oldham’s population has edged up to 246,000, yet remains well below the mean for English unitary authorities. Density is 1,701 residents per square kilometre, lower than the England urban average but far higher than rural areas. Only eight per cent of residents live in rural settings, limiting informal neighbourly support that can buffer service demand elsewhere. Deprivation is uneven (standard deviation 2.78), so some neighbourhoods experience concentrated disadvantage, likely driving the spatial clustering of disability and service use.
The borough faces a dual challenge: a larger disabled population and higher demand for tailored, community-based support. Continued investment in direct payments, peer brokerage and accessible information is essential to maintain independence and manage costs. The low reliance on residential care suggests capacity may be tight; monitoring waiting times is prudent. Elevated queries about charging underline the need for clear, timely financial advice, especially during reassessments. Finally, prevention programmes targeted at the most deprived wards could ease future demand by slowing disability-related decline.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Older residents make up a smaller share of Oldham’s population than is typical nationally and this has changed little in recent years. The proportion aged 65 plus hovered around 16 per cent between 2019 and 2023, while England rose from 18.4 to 18.9 per cent before easing back to 18.5 per cent. Oldham’s relatively youthful profile reflects a history of higher birth-rates and inward migration of younger families. Lower rurality (8 per cent of land is rural compared with 35 per cent in England) and high deprivation also tend to keep the age profile down because poorer urban areas often see earlier mortality and outward movement of affluent retirees.
In 2024 about 5,320 older people asked for support, equal to 2,161 requests per 100,000 residents. The England rate was 2,438, so apparent demand is modest. Once Oldham’s smaller pool of older residents is considered, the gap narrows still further. Two explanations are plausible. First, families in multi-generational households may provide more informal help, delaying formal approaches. Second, some need could be hidden: deprivation is linked to poorer health literacy and people might not know how to seek help.
Despite lower recorded demand, 2,575 older people were receiving long-term support in 2024, a rate of 1,046 per 100,000, slightly above the national average of 1,003. In other words, Oldham converts a larger share of requests into funded care. This may indicate stricter eligibility criteria elsewhere, but it could also show that the people who do come forward locally tend to have higher needs.
The pattern of support differs from national norms. Residential placements are notably common: 305 per 100,000 compared with 250 nationally, while nursing home use is lower (91 versus 122). This suggests that older people enter care homes earlier, before health needs escalate to nursing level. Relatively high use of community-based personal budgets (553 versus 508) and part direct payments (43 versus 22) shows the council’s willingness to tailor support outside institutions. Together, these figures imply a system that tries to keep people at home where possible, yet still relies on care homes more than most areas, possibly because family housing is densely packed and not always suitable for ageing in place.
Requests linked to legal issues and complaints stand out: 29 cases in 2025, equal to 11.8 per 100,000 compared with a national average of 5.7. This may point to dissatisfaction with decisions or communication. Other advice categories sit close to national norms, suggesting that information services are broadly accessible, though the small absolute numbers mean changes should be interpreted cautiously.
Oldham is one of the more deprived boroughs in England (mean Index of Multiple Deprivation decile 3.8 versus 5.9). Deprivation is associated with earlier onset of long-term conditions, so although the older population share is low, the level of need within that group can be high. The above-average rate of people receiving care and the relatively high use of residential settings fit this pattern. Population density (1,700 people per km²) limits space for extra-care housing and may drive reliance on traditional care homes.
Keeping pace with an ageing but still minority section of the community will require a dual focus: proactive outreach to uncover unmet need and investment in suitable housing to reduce premature moves to residential care. Efforts to improve advice and to resolve complaints early could enhance trust and might lower the unusually high level of legal-related enquiries. Given constrained budgets, strengthening community support and informal care networks could be cost-effective, but the persistent burden of deprivation means statutory services will continue to play a significant role.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Oldham had about 20,700 unpaid carers. This equals 8,548 carers for every 100,000 residents, a little higher than the England figure of 8,204. In simple terms, around one in twelve people in the borough give regular unpaid help to a friend or relative. Oldham is a fairly dense urban area but it is also more deprived than the national average. Poor health and lower incomes often raise the need for family care, so the slightly larger pool of carers fits with the local profile.
Only 23.8 per cent of Oldham carers said in 2024 that they have as much social contact as they would like. Nationally the figure is 29.3 per cent. Fewer chances to meet others can lead to stress and poorer mental health. The gap hints at limited free time, limited local activities, or simply the cost of going out. It may also show that many carers look after people with high needs and cannot leave the home easily.
Just under three in five carers (57.7 per cent) felt it was easy to find information about support services, slightly below the national rate of 59.3 per cent. This modest shortfall is important in a borough with higher deprivation, where digital skills and confidence in dealing with public bodies can be low. Good signposting may therefore need more face-to-face or community-based routes.
Oldham stands out for its use of direct payments. In 2024 there were 481 direct payments per 100,000 people, more than three times the England rate of 150. Direct payments give choice, but they also ask carers to manage personal budgets and organise care. The council also supplied information and advice at 496 cases per 100,000, well above the national figure of 339.
By contrast, respite and other breaks delivered to the cared-for person were low at 43 per 100,000, compared with 70 nationally. Very few records exist for part direct payments, managed personal budgets or commissioned support, suggesting these routes are either rare or not well recorded. Only 41 cases per 100,000 received no direct support, far below the England average of 130, so most carers in Oldham do get something from the council, but the offer is uneven.
Oldham relies heavily on a large unpaid care workforce. Their social contact is limited and access to breaks is below average, which may increase the risk of burnout. The high take-up of direct payments and advice shows that carers are willing to engage, but they still need practical relief. Expanding respite options, simplifying information channels and targeting outreach in the most deprived neighbourhoods could strengthen the overall support system. Given population growth to over 246,000 in 2023, demand is likely to rise, so planning for extra resources is advisable.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Oldham records 33 community-based adult social care services and 42 residential care services in 2024. When the local mid-2023 population of 246,130 is used, this equals about 13.4 community services and 17.1 residential services for every 100,000 residents. Across England the average council hosts roughly 16.9 community and 24.1 residential services per 100,000 people. Oldham therefore offers a smaller supply than is typical, even after its below-average population size is taken into account.
The borough is mainly urban, with only 8.4 % of land classed as rural, so providers are likely to be larger and more concentrated than in shire areas. A tighter market can improve efficiency, yet a limited choice may also reduce specialist options, something that matters in a district with high deprivation and complex need.
Quality looks slightly stronger than average. Only 14.7 % of local services are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, compared with 16.8 % nationally. Fewer poor ratings suggest effective local oversight and a focus on core standards, despite the high demand that often follows deprivation. A dense urban setting can help here: inspectors, commissioners and training bodies can reach providers quickly, which supports improvement work.
Workforce churn remains a challenge. The North West region shows a staff turnover rate of 25.4 %, almost identical to the England figure. Four out of five employers (81.3 %) say recruiting staff has become more difficult, and around seven in ten (69.5 %) report greater difficulty keeping staff. Even so, Oldham’s vacancy rate is notably lower than average at 6.0 % versus 8.4 %. In other words, posts are usually filled, but many workers do not stay long.
This pattern often arises in areas with a large pool of entry-level labour and high living costs relative to pay. Workers join, gain experience, then move on to better-paid roles. Stable quality ratings hint that managers absorb this turnover through good induction and supervision, yet the constant need to train replacements draws time and money away from service growth.
Oldham’s mean deprivation decile is 3.8, well below the England average of 5.9, and there is wide variation between neighbourhoods. Deprivation raises rates of disability, long-term illness and informal carer stress, all of which push up demand for formal care. The current supply gap therefore risks longer waits or greater travel for residents who need support.
Population density sits at 1,700 residents per km², lower than the England urban average but high enough for community services to operate viable rounds. As the population has edged up by roughly 4,000 since 2019, underlying demand is inching higher each year.
Improving capacity, not only quality, now looks pressing. Commissioners may wish to attract extra community providers that offer home-based, culturally sensitive packages suited to deprived, diverse districts. Supporting career pathways could convert Oldham’s low vacancy rate into long-term workforce stability, easing turnover and sustaining quality. If this dual focus succeeds, the borough can match supply to need while keeping the positive quality profile it has already achieved.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
Oldham shows mixed results. Only 26 per cent of people leave hospital from trusts rated “acceptable” by the Care Quality Commission, while the England figure is 89 per cent. This suggests that many residents are treated in hospitals that still need to raise standards, or that local “good” capacity is limited. In spite of this, the flow out of hospital is efficient. Just 4.3 per cent of discharges are delayed, far below the national rate of 12.3 per cent. When delays do occur, they last about 0.65 days on average, a little shorter than the 0.7-day national mean. The data point to strong co-ordination between the acute sector, social care and community services, even if overall hospital quality needs attention.
Sixty-one per cent of survey respondents say they are satisfied with the care and support they receive, compared with 65 per cent across England. A similar share (61.9 per cent) feel it is easy to find information about services, again below the national figure of 68.2 per cent. These gaps, though modest, matter because Oldham’s population faces higher social and economic pressure than most places: the mean deprivation decile is 3.8, well under the England average of 5.9, and almost every resident lives in an urban setting. High demand, combined with language or digital barriers, may explain why people feel less well informed and slightly less satisfied.
For every 100,000 residents, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 6.1 complaints about adult social care in Oldham, compared with a national rate of 4.5. Decisions on complaints are also higher (6.5 per 100,000 versus 4.1). Raw numbers are small—around 15 cases a year—but the higher rate hints at unmet expectations. Greater deprivation often brings more complex need; however, a higher complaint rate also tells us that channels for redress are active and residents are willing to use them.
Oldham is home to about 246,000 people, packed into a dense urban area (1,700 people per km²). The borough is younger and poorer than many parts of England. These factors usually raise demand for both health and social care. Despite this, discharge delays are well managed, a sign that joint working is effective.
The main quality concerns sit elsewhere: the proportion of care delivered by well-rated hospitals is low, satisfaction sits slightly under the national norm, and complaint rates are higher. Improving the rating of local hospital trusts would address the first issue directly. Better signposting—through community hubs, primary care and easy-to-read online guides—could lift the second. Finally, analysing Ombudsman themes could reveal quick wins in communication, assessments or charging policy.
In short, Oldham moves people out of hospital quickly, yet must still raise overall service quality and strengthen the public’s experience of care. Targeted investment, especially in information, engagement and provider standards, is likely to bring the greatest gain.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Oldham’s gross spend on adult social care stands at about £47.6 million for every 100,000 residents. With a mid-2023 population of roughly 246,000 people, this equals around £117 million in total. The figure sits very close to the England average of £47.8 million per 100,000. In other words, headline spending keeps pace with national norms, at least when measured per head.
The picture changes when we look at the money that finally leaves the council’s own budget. Client charges bring in £10.3 million per 100,000 residents, well above the national £7.3 million. The local NHS also contributes £10.4 million per 100,000, again higher than the English norm of £7.9 million. Because of these two income streams, Oldham’s net spend drops to £37.3 million per 100,000, around £9 million below the national level. In cash terms, the council therefore meets only about two-thirds of the headline cost, while clients and the NHS pick up an unusually large share.
Oldham is one of the more deprived boroughs in England. Its mean deprivation decile is 3.8 compared with the national 5.9, and the spread of deprivation is wider than average. Higher deprivation often leads to greater care needs, especially for working-age adults with long-term conditions. The council may therefore seek extra help from the NHS for people whose needs straddle health and care. At the same time, Oldham’s decision to raise more from client fees could reflect pressure on the local authority budget. No data on recent cuts are recorded, yet the comment that “the government appears to know how much money is required…and yet they are not making that known” hints at uncertainty about future grants.
Keeping gross spend in line with national norms is positive, but equal spend does not always mean equal service. Oldham’s population is slightly smaller and less dense than the average for England, but it is poorer and more urban than most of its near neighbours. Deprivation often drives earlier onset of illness and increases the complexity of care packages. If need is higher than average, then matching the national pound-per-person figure may still leave gaps. The high reliance on client contributions also raises a question about affordability. Residents with limited income may delay seeking help or reduce the amount of care they buy, leading to hidden demand.
The data suggest three action points. First, Oldham should continue to work closely with the NHS, because integrated funding is already cushioning council spend. Second, it would be wise to review charging policies to ensure they do not deter the poorest residents. Third, local leaders may need to gather stronger evidence on unmet need, using deprivation data to argue for a fairer share of national funds. By balancing these factors, Oldham can aim to sustain a level of care that not only matches the national average on paper, but meets the real needs of its communities in practice.
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