This page provides an overview of social care in Solihull, 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 Solihull. 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 rate of disability in Solihull is 16.8 %, a little lower than the England figure of 17.6 %. This difference is modest and suggests that, in terms of health status, Solihull is broadly in line with the country as a whole. A relatively low level of deprivation (average decile 6.6 compared with the national 5.9) may help keep disability prevalence slightly down, although marked inequality inside the borough (high spread of deprivation scores) means some neighbourhoods will face much higher risk.
In 2024, 1,290 working-age adults asked the council for care and support. When adjusted for population this is 590 requests per 100,000 residents, only about half the national rate of 1,143. Fewer requests can reflect better underlying health, effective informal support, or barriers to access. Given Solihull’s dense but car-dependent urban form and only 9 % rural population, physical access should not be a major obstacle. It is therefore possible that stronger family networks or good employment levels delay formal help-seeking. Even so, the council should check that people in its more deprived pockets know how to ask for support.
A total of 1,070 working-age adults were in receipt of long-term care, equal to 489 per 100,000 residents. This again sits below the England mean of 533 and is consistent with the lower request rate. The pattern within service types is, however, mixed.
Residential placements (64 per 100,000) and nursing placements (11 per 100,000) are both slightly above national averages. While numbers are small, this tilt towards institutional care might indicate a cohort with more complex needs, possibly linked to learning disability or long-term mental illness that developed years ago. It may also reflect limited supported-housing stock in a relatively high-cost local housing market.
Direct payments used on their own are notably popular: 139 per 100,000 compared with 122 nationally. This suggests that Solihull has invested in personalisation and that residents feel confident managing their own support. Part direct payments and council-managed personal budgets are both below average, implying that once people opt for self-direction they often take full control rather than mixed packages. Community support that is wholly commissioned by the council is also lower than the England mean. Overall, care appears to be shifting towards user-led models, which fits with a more affluent and educated population.
In 2025 only four people per 100,000 sought help with an assessment or care plan, close to the national rate. However, queries about charging stand out at 7.3 per 100,000, well above the England figure of 5.7. Higher income levels and property ownership may explain greater concern about how much people must pay. Requests linked to information seeking and safeguarding are lower than average, which could signal good preventive work but might also mask unmet concerns if residents are unsure whom to contact.
Solihull serves fewer disabled residents per head than most councils, yet it provides slightly more institutional care and shows a strong take-up of direct payments. Continued investment in personal budget support, clear communication about charging policies, and targeted outreach in the borough’s most deprived neighbourhoods will help maintain fair access. Monitoring trends will be vital: if request rates rise as the population ages, the council will need to expand community-based options to avoid further reliance on costlier residential places.
✨ ✅ ❌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
In 2023, people aged 65 plus made up 21.3 % of Solihull’s residents. Five years earlier the share was 21.1 %. This slow, steady rise is small in percentage points, yet it keeps Solihull well above the national level, which moved from 18.4 % to 18.5 % over the same period. The borough is already older than most of England, and the gap is not closing.
Two local factors help to explain this. First, Solihull is relatively affluent: its mean deprivation decile is 6.6, higher (that is, less deprived) than the England average of 5.9. Older adults with resources may choose to stay or move here. Second, population density is just under half of the national figure, giving a suburban feel that can appeal to retirees while still offering good access to services.
In 2024 the council recorded 5,070 requests for support from people aged 65 plus. This equals 2,317 requests per 100,000 residents, slightly below the England rate of 2,438. A lower request rate in a borough with an older age profile suggests that many residents either manage without formal help, draw on strong informal networks, or pay for their own care.
Of those who did ask for help, 2,125 went on to receive council-funded long-term care, a rate of 971 per 100,000 compared with an England rate of 1,003. Again, use of state-funded care is modest when set against Solihull’s age structure. This fits with the area’s relative affluence: people with higher means often fall outside the means-test or choose private options.
The pattern of services is distinctive. Nursing home use is high: 194 per 100,000, well above the national figure of 122. Residential care without nursing is lower than average (199 vs 250 per 100,000). Community-based options show a mixed picture. Direct payments and part direct payments are both a little below national rates, while council-managed personal budgets in the community are slightly above (523 vs 508 per 100,000).
This suggests that when needs become complex, residents move quickly into nursing homes. At the same time many people with moderate needs rely on council-managed support rather than taking the more flexible, but administratively demanding, direct payment route. The borough’s pockets of deprivation (standard deviation of deprivation decile 3.2) may also mean that some households prefer the security of council-arranged services.
Early-stage enquiries give another clue to demand. In 2025 Solihull logged 1.83 assessment enquiries per 100,000 residents, very close to the national figure of 1.72. The rate for care-plan enquiries, however, was lower (0.91 vs 1.39). This small dataset hints that residents who seek advice may resolve many issues without needing a full care plan, again pointing to stronger informal or private resources.
Solihull already supports an older, slowly growing population. Current use of publicly funded care is slightly below national rates, yet nursing home demand is high. If wealth levels fall or needs rise, request rates could climb quickly. The council may wish to:
• expand community-based, lower-cost options to delay or avoid nursing home entry;
• promote direct payments with light-touch support to widen choice; and
• keep watching local deprivation hot-spots, where ability to self-fund is limited.
Proactive steps now will help maintain sustainable services as the borough continues to age.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Solihull had around 19,900 unpaid carers, equal to about 9,200 carers for every 100,000 residents. The England average was closer to 8,200 per 100,000. The borough is therefore supporting roughly one extra carer for every twelve found nationally. Solihull’s population is slightly smaller, more urban and a little less deprived than the national picture, yet it shows a bigger caring load. This may point to an older age mix, a high number of disabled residents, or simply better identification of carers through local services and community networks.
Only 26 % of Solihull carers said they had as much social contact as they would like in 2024, three percentage points below the national figure. Loneliness can arise when people combine work, family and caring in a densely populated area; daily travel and time pressure leave little space for friendship or leisure. The borough’s average affluence may also mask sharp contrasts: the local deprivation range is wide, so carers in poorer neighbourhoods may feel isolation more strongly than headline figures suggest.
Direct payments reached about 395 carers in 2024, or 181 per 100,000 people – higher than the England rate of 150. Information, advice and other universal services were offered to roughly 1,770 carers (809 per 100,000), more than double the national norm. Despite this, only 58.5 % of carers said it was easy to find information, just under the 59.3 % average. The quantity of signposting is therefore good, but clarity, timing or format may need improvement.
Roughly 365 carers (167 per 100,000) received no direct support, slightly above the England benchmark of 130. Meanwhile, respite or breaks delivered through the cared-for person reached only about 130 carers (59 per 100,000) against a national rate of 70. Taken together, Solihull seems to prioritise cash or advice over practical relief from day-to-day caring.
The borough has a larger than average pool of unpaid carers, many of whom feel socially isolated and only moderately well informed. While Solihull is comparatively affluent, its wide deprivation spread suggests that support needs are uneven. High direct payment and advice rates show a willingness to help, yet lower respite provision and persistent loneliness hint at unmet emotional and practical need.
Services may wish to:
• increase flexible short-break options so carers can reconnect socially;
• review how information is presented, making it simpler and more proactive;
• target outreach in neighbourhoods with higher deprivation where caring duties and isolation can combine.
A stronger balance between financial help, clear guidance and genuine time off could lift wellbeing for thousands of local carers and sustain informal care in the long term.
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
Solihull hosts 47 community-based adult social care services and 59 residential services. Although both raw counts sit below the national averages of 63.8 and 91, Solihull’s smaller population alters the picture. With about 219,000 residents, the borough offers roughly 21.5 community providers and 27.0 residential providers per 100,000 people. England as a whole averages around 16.9 and 24.1 per 100,000. In other words, local people have slightly more choice of both home-care and care-home settings than the typical resident elsewhere.
Several local features help explain this density. Solihull is relatively affluent—its mean deprivation decile is 6.6 compared with the national 5.9—so more older adults are likely to self-fund care, creating a stronger market. The borough is also largely suburban, with only 10 % rural land. Shorter travel times make it easier for community agencies to operate viable rounds, encouraging supply.
Only 8.2 % of Solihull providers are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, around half the national share of 16.8 %. Good quality alongside high provider density suggests effective local commissioning and strong managerial capacity. Providers may benefit from serving a population able to pay for higher standards, allowing investment in staff training and facilities.
The positive quality picture sits alongside mixed staffing signals. The annual turnover rate stands at 26.7 %, almost identical to the England figure. However, vacancies are higher—9.8 % against 8.4 %—and most managers say retention (70 %) and recruitment (81 %) have become more challenging, both slightly above national sentiment. In an affluent, low-unemployment area, care work competes with better-paid sectors such as retail and hospitality. High housing costs may also deter potential carers from taking relatively low-wage roles.
So far, providers have contained the risk: vacancy pressure has not translated into poorer inspection outcomes. Nonetheless, sustained gaps could force greater agency use, raise costs, or threaten continuity of care. Monitoring workforce data and strengthening training pipelines will be vital to maintain today’s quality levels.
Per-capita availability and inspection results point to a broadly healthy care market. Yet the labour market remains tight, and population projections show a steady rise—over 2,000 extra residents in the past two years alone. If growth is concentrated in older age groups, demand could accelerate faster than supply. Targeted actions—such as travel-cost subsidies for staff, affordable housing schemes, and stronger links with local colleges—could ease recruitment pressures.
Finally, Solihull’s higher dispersion of deprivation (standard deviation 3.2 versus 2.3 nationally) means some neighbourhoods may not share in the overall affluence. The council may need to ensure that high-quality provision is evenly distributed and that fee rates allow providers to serve both funded and self-funding clients. Keeping the current balance of good access, strong quality, and a stable workforce will be the key challenge over the next planning cycle.
✨ ✅ ❌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 hospital discharge of a Solihull resident (about 99.8 per cent) is made from a trust that the Care Quality Commission sees as acceptable. The national picture stands at 89 per cent. This suggests that local commissioners work closely with better-rated hospitals, and that people are less likely to leave care settings with unresolved issues. Only 11 per cent of Solihull discharges are delayed, slightly below the England rate of 12.3 per cent. When a delay does happen it lasts, on average, just over half a day, compared with seven-tenths of a day nationally. Prompt discharge frees beds and helps patients avoid deconditioning, so this pattern points to effective joint working between the council, the NHS and community services.
Two-thirds (66.1 per cent) of local survey respondents say they are satisfied with the care and support they receive. The figure is a little higher than the England mean of 64.7 per cent and fits with other positive signals. For example, 73.3 per cent of people using services say it is easy to find information, against 68.2 per cent across the country. Clear information often lets users plan their care better and may reduce avoidable calls or visits. A separate NatCen question shows 57 per cent expressing dissatisfaction with social care. The absence of a national comparator makes this hard to judge, yet it reminds us that good headline scores can still mask concern among many residents, especially those with more complex needs.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received and decided about 3.2 cases per 100,000 people in 2024. National rates are higher, at 4.5 and 4.1 respectively. Solihull’s lower figure could mean that issues are often resolved early, or that residents find existing routes clear enough to prevent escalation. Even so, in a population of roughly 219,000 this still amounts to seven formal cases each year, so learning from each complaint remains important.
Solihull has grown slowly since 2019, adding only 2,500 people. The borough is less densely populated than the national average (1,213 vs 2,469 residents per km²) and is mainly urban, with only 9.5 per cent of residents in rural areas. It is also a little less deprived, sitting in decile 7 on average compared with decile 6 nationally. However, the spread of deprivation is wide: some neighbourhoods are very well-off while others sit near the bottom of the national scale. These contrasts may explain why aggregate satisfaction is good yet a large minority still feel unhappy with services. Pockets of need can stretch front-line teams, especially if they sit outside the main urban centres.
High-quality discharges, short delays and better-than-average satisfaction indicate that Solihull’s adult social care system works well for many residents. Strong relationships with acute trusts and clear information channels appear to be key assets. The council should now focus on the groups who remain dissatisfied. Targeted engagement in the more deprived estates, alongside continued early resolution of complaints, could lift overall experience further. Monitoring demand will also be important: even modest population growth may raise caseloads if age or disability profiles change. Maintaining present standards while reducing the remaining delays will require stable funding and close joint planning with health partners.
✨ ✅ ❌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 the financial year 2024 Solihull spent about £49,908 for every 100,000 residents on adult social care before any income was taken off. With a mid-2023 population of roughly 218,800 people, this equals a gross amount close to £109 million. After taking account of money that the council receives from service users and other bodies, net spending falls to about £41,913 for every 100,000 residents, or around £91 million in cash.
On a per-person basis Solihull spends a little more than the England average. Nationally, councils spend about £47,758 per 100,000 people before income, and £40,472 after income. The gap is not huge, but it shows that Solihull is willing, and able, to invest slightly more in care than many other places.
Solihull is smaller than the typical English local authority (219,000 people compared with 377,000). Because the area looks after fewer residents overall, its total cash spend is lower than that of many councils, yet each resident still benefits from above-average funding. A medium-sized population can also help managers to know users by name and shape support quickly, which may bring better value from each pound.
Service users in Solihull contribute about £7,995 per 100,000 people, or £17 million in total. This is £700 per 100,000 above the national norm. Higher client income usually means either that more people are paying charges, or that charges are set slightly higher. Solihull is less deprived than much of England, sitting in decile 6.6 on average, so a larger share of residents are likely to cross the means-test line and have to pay part of their care bill.
The local NHS puts in £9,803 per 100,000 people, equal to almost £21 million. This is two thousand pounds more per head than the national mean and suggests strong joint working between the council and the Integrated Care Board. Extra NHS money can fund reablement and home-care schemes that stop hospital stays from becoming longer than needed.
Solihull is mainly urban, with only 10 percent of residents in rural areas. Services can be delivered in a tight geographic area, yet the cost of labour and buildings in a well-connected West Midlands borough is also high. The older population share is not shown here, but census data indicate above-average numbers of people aged over 65. Older age brings greater need for home care, day services and residential places. Paying a little extra per resident may therefore be necessary simply to meet lawful duties.
Although most neighbourhoods are comfortable, the borough also contains small pockets of serious poverty, as shown by a high deprivation spread (standard deviation 3.2). Supporting these outliers can push up spending on social work time, direct payments and early-help programmes, even if the average resident is relatively well off.
Above-average per-resident funding, plus solid income from both clients and the NHS, puts Solihull in a reasonably strong position to cope with demand. The main challenge is to keep delivering value when inflation and wage pressure are rising. Continuing to collect fair contributions, keeping joint plans with the NHS alive, and closely tracking the needs of small but costly deprived communities will all help to maintain balanced budgets and good outcomes.
Information on planned budget cuts is not available, yet the current spending profile suggests that any future reduction would have to be managed with care. The council and its partners appear to understand the true cost of care; making that cost clear to the public may secure broader support for sustained investment.
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