This page provides an overview of social care in Shropshire, 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: Shropshire
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: Shropshire
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 Shropshire. Understanding the types of care available can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of people receiving personal care may indicate a need for more support with daily living activities, while a high number of people receiving respite care may suggest a need for additional support for carers.
ASCFR and SALT Data Tables 2023-24 Sheet T34
The age-standardised disability rate in Shropshire is 17 %, a little below the England average of 17.6 %. This small gap suggests that the overall need for help is broadly similar to the national picture: roughly one person in six lives with a long-term condition that limits day-to-day life.
In 2024 the council recorded 1,990 requests for care from adults aged 18–64. This equals 604 requests per 100,000 residents, just over half the national rate of 1,143. Shropshire’s large rural area and low population density (101 residents per km², compared with 2,468 nationally) may make it harder for people to ask for help. Travel distances, fewer public services in villages and lower visibility of information can all dampen the number of formal requests. The county is only average for deprivation, so low demand is unlikely to be explained by affluence alone.
Some 1,450 working-age adults were actually receiving care. That equals 440 people per 100,000, again below the England figure of 533. However, the ratio of service users to requests is high: 73 % in Shropshire versus 47 % nationally. Once a resident makes contact, they appear more likely to pass the eligibility test and receive help. This may point to effective early screening, or to thresholds that are set at a similar level but with fewer “inappropriate” referrals.
Community-based personal budgets dominate local provision. Care managed by the council under personal budgets stands at 261 per 100,000, almost on par with England (267). Direct payments, where the person holds the money themselves, are much less common (74 per 100,000 versus 122 nationally). Residential care for working-age adults is also lower (46 per 100,000 versus 61). Taken together, the pattern fits a rural county: keeping people in their own homes is often cheaper and avoids long journeys to residential settings. The lower use of direct payments may show that managing a budget is harder when services are spread thinly or when broadband and banking access are uneven in remote areas.
In 2025 residents asked for help most often with assessments, charging, and general information. Enquiry rates for these three topics are above the national average, while requests about care-planning, legal issues and mental capacity are below. People seem keen to understand why they are being charged and how the assessment works, hinting that financial rules are complex or not well explained at the first contact.
Overall demand from disabled adults is modest, yet the prevalence of disability is normal. This mismatch suggests potential hidden need, linked to distance, transport and digital access. The council already delivers a high share of support through community personal budgets but may need to:
• Improve outreach in remote parishes, perhaps by using mobile advice sessions or partnerships with GP surgeries.
• Promote direct payments where appropriate, giving people more choice even in a rural market.
• Simplify information on charging to cut repeat enquiries and build trust.
• Monitor population growth, which has risen by 3 % since 2019, to ensure budgets keep pace with future demand.
Keeping these points under review will help Shropshire meet the needs of disabled residents in a way that suits its largely rural character.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Shropshire is ageing quickly. The share of residents aged 65 plus has risen from 24.9 % in 2019 to 26.2 % in 2023, while the England average has stayed around 18–19 %. Because the total population has also grown, the absolute number of older residents is now close to 86,000. The county is very rural (74 % of people live in rural areas) and sparsely populated at 101 people per km², against 2,469 nationally. Distance from services, limited public transport and a scattered workforce are therefore structural issues. Deprivation sits near the national middle, so need is driven more by age and geography than by poverty.
In 2024 the council recorded 8,240 requests for care or support from residents aged 65 plus. This equals 2,503 requests per 100,000 older people, slightly above the England rate of 2,438. The excess is modest, yet when viewed alongside the fast-growing older cohort it signals a sustained rise in workload for first-contact teams.
Small but telling evidence comes from 2025 enquiries logged under the “UT1” information and advice codes. Older residents in Shropshire asked about charging (7.6 per 100,000) more often than their peers nationally (5.7) and about assessments, legal matters and safeguarding a little more often too. This pattern suggests that people and families may struggle to navigate rules on paying for care, perhaps because many own property but have limited liquid income, a common situation in rural counties.
During 2024, 3,355 older people received long-term support, or 1,019 per 100,000—very close to the England norm (1,003). Under the surface, the service mix differs:
Nursing home use is high at 243 per 100,000, double the national figure of 122. This points to a client group with greater clinical needs, but it could also reflect difficulty arranging intensive domiciliary care in remote villages.
Residential home use is slightly below average (205 vs 250), hinting at a shift towards higher-dependency placements or at deliberate avoidance of standard residential care.
Direct payments are taken up less often than elsewhere (38 vs 55 per 100,000 for “direct payment only”). Recruiting personal assistants in sparsely populated areas may discourage people from choosing this option.
Council-managed personal budgets delivered in the community are a little above the national rate, indicating that the authority is stepping in where self-managed arrangements are hard to sustain.
The older population is expanding faster than services, and need is already marginally higher than average. If current trends continue, even small annual increases in the over-65 share will translate into hundreds more requests each year.
High nursing-home use suggests rising complexity, making prevention and rehabilitation crucial. Extending community health capacity, investing in assistive technology and improving transport links could help older residents remain at home for longer.
Lower uptake of direct payments signals a gap in the local care market. Targeted support for micro-providers and personal assistants in rural areas may widen choice and control.
Finally, the relatively large number of charging enquiries shows that clear, timely financial advice is essential. Strengthening information services and working with voluntary groups could reduce anxiety and repeat contacts.
Overall, Shropshire’s ageing, rural profile calls for proactive planning, with an emphasis on flexible community support, workforce development and clear communication to manage growing demand effectively.
✨ ✅ ❌When government support falls short, unpaid carers step in to provide care. However, many struggle with burnout, financial pressure, lack of social contact, and a lack of support. This section explores the number of unpaid carers, their increasing workload, and what forms of support are available.
Carers play a vital role in supporting vulnerable adults, often stepping in to provide care when professional services are unavailable or insufficient. The percentage of carers receiving direct payments highlights financial empowerment, the number of carers accessing services reflects local authority outreach, and the number turning to charities underscores unmet needs. Together, these data points reveal systemic strengths and weaknesses: low direct payment uptake may push carers toward charities, while effective services can reduce dependence on charitable support. Understanding these metrics enables targeted interventions to ensure carers receive the recognition and resources they deserve.
Unpaid carers play a crucial role in supporting vulnerable adults, often stepping in to provide care when professional services are unavailable or insufficient. Understanding the number of unpaid carers in a local authority can be complicated. On the one hand, a relatively high proportion might be indicative of not enough being done by the local authority, and/or a strong community. On the other hand, a relatively lower number can mean good service provision, lower need, lower availability to look after family, or a problem with reporting.
Still, understanding the number of unpaid carers is a baseline number that must be considered.
NOMIS NM_2213_1
These values are widely considered to be an underestimate. See this report from Carers UK for more information.
August 2021 - Patient with dementia who lives in a shared lives setting. Carer had been requesting respite from the council since September 2020. Croydon Social Prescriber helped with a referral to the local authority in March 2021. Assessment conducted, with the promise they would come back with support, which did not happen. 25 August, social prescriber used the chatbot to find the right legal wording for the situation. The email was sent at 4.52pm that day. At 5.12pm the council contacted the carer to discuss the respite. This was the impact of one letter, addressed to a senior team.
This case study is based on real data from Croydon. Have a story to tell? Let us know, and we might display it here!
Social contact is important for carers’ well-being, as it can help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. Understanding the level of social contact that carers have can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a low level of social contact may indicate a need for more social activities or support groups for carers, while a high level of social contact may suggest that carers have a strong support network.
Survey of Adult Carers in England (SACE) - question 11
The type of support available to carers can vary significantly, impacting their ability to provide care effectively. Understanding the types of support available can help identify areas where additional resources may be needed. For example, a high number of carers receiving respite care may indicate a need for more support with caregiving responsibilities, while a low number of carers receiving financial support may suggest a need for additional financial assistance.
ASCFR/SALT Sheet T47
Access to information is crucial for carers to navigate the social care system effectively. Understanding how easy it is for carers to get information can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of carers finding it difficult to get information may indicate a need for improved communication and support services, while a low number of carers finding it difficult to get information may suggest that existing services are effective.
Would you like social care information? Try our Chatbot!
Survey of Adult Carers in England (SACE) - question 17
Note: these values are a work in progress… expect these numbers to go up
Access Social Care and other Helplines help people with information, advice, and support related to social care. Understanding the types of calls received by carers can highlight areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of calls related to financial support may indicate a need for more financial assistance for carers, while a high number of calls related to respite care may suggest a need for additional support with caregiving responsibilities.
It is important to note that, just as in the previous section, low numbers of requests might indicate that people don’t know where to get help, don’t feel they can get (or deserve) help, or other outreach problems. This is particularly important because we often work with people where the role of a carer is not recognised, or where the carer themselves does not recognise their role.
Access Social Care casework, AccessAva data, and helpline partner submissions
In 2021 about 29,700 residents were unpaid carers. This equals 9,149 carers for every 100,000 people. The England rate was lower, at 8,204 per 100,000. Shropshire is very rural, with only 101 people per square kilometre and 74 % of its land classed as rural. In many small villages formal care services are hard to reach, so family and friends often step in. The age profile is also older than average, which raises the need for care inside the home. These two factors help to explain why the share of unpaid carers is high even though general deprivation is close to the national midpoint.
Only 20.1 % of carers in 2024 said they had as much social contact as they wanted. Nationally the figure was 29.3 %. Long travel distances, limited public transport and the time spent on caring make it harder for people in Shropshire to meet friends or join groups. Isolation can lead to stress and poorer mental health. Yet 61.3 % felt it was easy to find information about services, slightly above the England average of 59.3 %. Clear signposting by the council and local charities seems to reach carers, but knowing where to get help has not yet turned into better social contact.
The 2024 data show mixed patterns.
• Around 100 carers (30 per 100,000) used a full direct payment, far below the England rate of 150 per 100,000. Only about 10 carers (3 per 100,000) chose a part direct payment, compared with 45 nationally.
• Personal budgets managed by the council were given to roughly 90 carers (27 per 100,000) against 66 per 100,000 in England.
• Commissioned support arranged fully by the council was the main offer, reaching about 345 carers (105 per 100,000) and matching the national rate.
• Fewer than 25 carers (8 per 100,000) received only information or advice, while the England figure was 339 per 100,000. Almost no cases were logged as “no direct support”, suggesting that assessments often lead to some form of help, even if small.
The very low take-up of direct payments and advice services may reflect the limited market for care workers in rural areas. A direct payment is useful only when carers can hire someone nearby; if that option is rare, they tend to accept council-commissioned care instead.
Shropshire depends heavily on unpaid carers, yet many feel lonely. Expanding day centres, local peer groups and respite breaks could improve social contact. Promoting flexible direct payments, perhaps linked to travel support or digital services, would give carers more choice. Because carers already find information easily, the next step is turning that knowledge into practical, reachable support. Targeted investment is needed in the most remote parishes where formal care and volunteer networks are thin.
Population projections show steady growth to over 329,000 by 2023, with no big change in deprivation. Without fresh policies the number of unpaid carers is likely to rise further. Planning now for extra respite, transport and workforce development will help keep carers well and able to continue their vital role.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Shropshire has 68 community-based adult social care services and 106 residential services. This is more than the England average when population is taken into account. The county has about 20.6 community services and 32.2 residential homes per 100,000 residents, while England averages about 16.9 and 24.1 per 100,000. Extra providers are likely to be a response to the county’s geography. Seventy-four per cent of people live in rural areas and population density is only 101 persons per square kilometre, far below the national figure of 2468. Small, local services help to cut travel time for staff and visitors and make home-like care possible in scattered villages.
Seventeen per cent of inspected providers are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”. This is very close to the national rate (16.8 %), but it still means almost one in six services need support. The large number of small, often isolated providers can make consistent quality harder to achieve. Travel distances for assessors, fewer peer networks and limited managerial capacity all play a part. Targeted quality-improvement work, joint training and stronger digital links could help smaller homes to share good practice.
The sector’s vacancy rate is 6 %, well below the England average of 8.4 %. This suggests that providers are, for now, filling most posts. However, staff turnover sits at 26.7 %, almost identical to the national level. Two-thirds of employers still say retaining staff is “more” or “much more” challenging and over four-fifths report the same for recruitment. In a sparsely populated area the pool of potential workers is small. Competition comes not only from neighbouring councils in the West Midlands but also from tourism, agriculture and the NHS. Low vacancies may hide the fact that providers rely on repeated cycles of hiring inexperienced staff who then leave. This churn puts pressure on training budgets and can affect continuity of care, feeding back into the quality ratings.
Between 2019 and 2023 the population rose by about 3 %, somewhat faster than the increase in provider numbers. Shropshire’s average deprivation score is close to the national mean, yet rural poverty can be hidden when looking only at large areas. Older people with limited public transport may rely heavily on local residential homes or community outreach. A broad spread of providers is therefore essential, but it also raises unit costs because each service operates at smaller scale.
Maintaining a wide network of small providers appears the right approach for a rural county, but it demands extra support. Workforce initiatives that offer travel allowances, flexible hours and local training hubs could reduce turnover. Shared back-office services and mentorship schemes may lift quality in homes that struggle to meet regulatory standards. Commissioners should continue to monitor quality closely while protecting the geographic coverage that residents depend on.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
Shropshire now serves about 329,000 people. The headcount has grown by roughly three per cent since 2019, yet the county remains very rural: only 101 residents live in each square kilometre, compared with 2,469 in England as a whole. Deprivation sits close to the national middle. These facts affect how care can be given and frame the results below.
In November 2024, 96.9 per cent of hospital discharges for Shropshire residents came from trusts rated acceptable by the Care Quality Commission; the England mean was 89 per cent. Because journeys home are often long, this high share points to strong joint work between the council, hospitals and community teams. Delays are also shorter than average. Only 8.6 per cent of discharges were held up, versus 12.3 per cent nationally, and the mean wait was 0.44 days rather than 0.7. Fewer blocked beds protect frail people and let staff focus on new patients, showing effective use of limited workforce in a sparsely populated area.
Sixty-four point seven per cent of adult social-care users said they were satisfied with their support, exactly the national figure. Reaching that mark is notable in an area where carers must travel far between visits. A separate NatCen question found 57 per cent reporting dissatisfaction. The wording differs, yet it hints that opinion is divided and could change if demand rises. As the older population grows, holding present satisfaction levels will become harder.
Only 64.9 per cent of users felt it was easy to locate information about services, a little below the England rate of 68.2 per cent. Villages with poor broadband and limited public transport can leave residents unsure where to turn. Better signposting—especially through trusted local hubs and mobile digital support—would let people solve problems sooner and reinforce the already strong discharge pathway.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 5.16 cases per 100,000 residents in 2024 and decided 5.47, both above the national rates of 4.45 and 4.12. The raw totals are small, yet the higher per-capita figure might point to pockets of unmet need or, more positively, to residents who feel confident their concerns will be heard. Systematic review of complaint themes could reveal service gaps in remote areas.
Shropshire excels at co-ordinating safe, prompt discharge from hospital, a critical task in a wide rural county. User satisfaction is holding steady at the national average, but the lower score on information access and the slightly higher complaint rate suggest where quality improvement should focus next. Population growth and low density mean solutions must be flexible rather than building-based: stronger digital inclusion, clear advice lines and learning from complaints will help keep standards high without major extra cost.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Shropshire is spending about £179 million on adult social care. This figure is drawn from a gross cost of £54,541 for every 100,000 residents and a mid-2023 population of roughly 329,000 people. The amount per head is 14 % above the England average. When client and NHS income are set against the budget, net spending still stands at about £152 million, or £46,333 per 100,000 people. This, too, is higher than the national picture.
Shropshire’s population is smaller than the typical English local authority and is spread thinly across a large rural area. Only 101 people live in each square kilometre, compared with 2,469 in England as a whole. Providing home care, reablement or specialist staff across long travel distances raises travel time and mileage costs, so higher spending per resident is not unexpected.
The county is not markedly more deprived than England, so need linked to poverty is unlikely to be a main driver. A stronger factor is age profile: rural counties like Shropshire tend to host more older adults who have moved out of cities. Although age-specific data are not in the table, local projections show a steady rise in over-65s, which will push up demand for domiciliary support, residential placements and direct payments.
Client contributions bring in about £27 million, equal to £8,207 per 100,000 people, 13 % above the national rate. Higher charges may reflect two things. First, house prices and asset wealth in many Shropshire villages are above the English average, so more individuals pass the capital limit and pay for part of their package. Second, limited public transport in a rural setting can make full public provision difficult, nudging people towards topping up their own care.
NHS contributions stand at £7,683 per 100,000 residents, slightly below the England mean. Integrated Care Board budgets are tight, and continuing healthcare eligibility rules remain strict. Lower health-side income leaves the council financing a larger share of joint packages, which partly explains the high net spend.
With no sign of large new central grants, Shropshire must keep balancing rural service costs against residents’ ability to pay. The above-average reliance on client income could become risky if the local economy slows or if the planned cap on care costs is introduced. Strengthening joint commissioning with the NHS may help close the funding gap. At the same time, investment in digital care technology and community support may lower travel costs and keep spending sustainable.
Higher spending in Shropshire does not point to inefficiency; it reflects the extra cost of serving a widely scattered, ageing population with only modest help from health partners.
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