This page provides an overview of social care in South Gloucestershire, 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: South Gloucestershire
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: South Gloucestershire
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 South Gloucestershire. 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 is 16.5 per cent, a little below the England figure of 17.6 per cent. South Gloucestershire is less deprived than most places and its population is young and still growing, rising from 285 k in 2019 to almost 300 k in 2023. These factors usually mean better general health, so a slightly lower disability rate is expected.
In 2024 there were 2,855 requests for adult social care from working-age residents. This equals 953 requests per 100,000 people, below the national rate of 1,143. A lower request rate may reflect a smaller pool of people with complex needs, good informal support, or clear information that prevents unnecessary contacts. Population density is only one quarter of the England average, so people may rely more on family and community before turning to the council.
Despite fewer requests, 1,685 working-age adults were receiving long-term support, or 563 per 100,000. This is slightly above the England figure of 533. A higher acceptance rate suggests the council grants help to a larger share of those who ask, perhaps due to adequate funding or efficient assessment. In a relatively affluent area, staff may have more time to support complex cases once they reach the system.
Community services dominate. Direct-payment-only packages stand at 172 per 100,000, well above the national 122. Part direct payments are also higher (57 vs 48). These numbers show that residents often choose to manage their own care, fitting with the area’s higher education and lower deprivation. Managed personal budgets (249 per 100,000) sit just below the England mean of 267, while traditional commissioned support only (3.3 per 100,000) is close to the norm. Nursing and residential placements are both slightly higher than average but still small in absolute terms—45 and 200 people, respectively. Overall, the mix points to a service that promotes independence and community living.
Early 2025 figures on “people requesting help” with specific issues are small but worth noting. Requests linked to assessments (3.0 per 100,000) and charging advice (12.0 per 100,000) are above national levels. This may indicate that as personal budgets grow, residents need more guidance on cost and eligibility. Monitoring these contacts will help the council tailor information services before demand becomes pressure.
South Gloucestershire has a modest disability rate yet a high proportion of disabled adults receiving support. The contrast suggests that once disability leads to substantial need, the council responds quickly and keeps people in the community whenever possible. Continued investment in direct payments, clear advice, and early assessment is likely to sustain this balance.
Population growth of around 5 per cent since 2019 means that even with a stable disability rate, absolute numbers of disabled residents will rise. Planning for workforce capacity, especially in community roles, will be essential. Because the area is less deprived, funding formulae tied to deprivation may allocate fewer resources; the council will need to evidence its efficient but growing service to secure fair funding.
✨ ✅ ❌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
South Gloucestershire is growing each year, from about 285,000 people in 2019 to almost 300,000 in 2023. The area is less deprived than England on average and only one-fifth of land is rural. The share of residents who are 65 or older has stayed steady at around 18.7 per cent. This is close to the national figure and has moved very little in the last five years, so the service must plan for a broadly stable but slowly rising number of older adults.
In 2024 there were 8,430 requests for support from people aged 65 plus. That is 2,815 requests for every 100,000 residents, about 15 per cent higher than the England mean of 2,438. The high rate may signal good public awareness of adult social care, or it may show gaps in informal or voluntary support. Because the local population is less deprived, older people may also feel more confident in asking for formal help rather than relying on family.
Only 2,460 older people were actually receiving long-term care, equal to 822 per 100,000 residents. The national figure is 1,003 per 100,000. In other words, South Gloucestershire records many more requests than average but provides fewer ongoing care packages. This difference points to a possible shortfall in supply, tougher eligibility rules, or successful use of short-term “front-door” solutions that prevent long-term entry.
The mix of services is unusual. Nursing home use is high: 179 per 100,000, almost 50 per cent above the England mean. Residential placements without nursing are low, at 174 per 100,000 versus 250 nationally. Community support supplied or managed by the council is also below average, and direct payments are modest. More people therefore move straight to nursing settings. This could reflect an older group with complex needs at the point of entry, limited residential beds, or choice patterns in a relatively affluent area.
Figures for 2025 show many contacts about charging (12.0 per 100,000, over twice the national rate) and assessment queries (3.0 per 100,000, also above average). High charging enquiries fit with the higher nursing use: families may wish to understand costs when facing expensive placements. Direct-payment questions are lower than average, echoing the small take-up of those budgets.
Steady growth in older residents, paired with a high request rate, suggests rising demand will continue. Yet long-term service use lags behind demand, so some needs may remain unmet or are met informally. The stronger pull towards nursing care hints at late presentation or limited step-down options in the community. Lower deprivation means more people can self-fund, which may reduce pressure on council-funded packages while raising information and charging queries.
South Gloucestershire should test whether eligibility thresholds or service capacity limit access to community care. Expanding home-based support and promoting direct payments might delay entry to high-cost nursing beds. Clear, simple charging guidance is vital, given the many cost enquiries. With a stable but aging population, planning must focus on keeping older adults independent, managing demand at the front door, and ensuring that people with complex needs reach the right setting at the right time.
✨ ✅ ❌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 the area had about 23,700 unpaid carers. This equals 8,131 carers for every 100,000 residents. The England rate was 8,204 per 100,000, so South Gloucestershire sits only a little below the national level. The slight gap may reflect the area’s lower deprivation; people in better-off places often have better health and may need less informal care.
The council’s main offer is a direct payment. In 2024 roughly 249 carers in every 100,000 received a direct payment, around 740 people in total. This is far above the England figure of 150 per 100,000, showing a clear local policy choice to give carers money to arrange their own help.
Other forms of support are rare. Fewer than 40 carers per 100,000 (about 120 people) got information or universal services, compared with an English average of 339. Almost no carers received respite arranged for the cared-for person (2 per 100,000) or were recorded as having no direct support (5 per 100,000). The low numbers could mean that the council records most activity under the direct-payment heading, but it may also point to gaps in advice, signposting and break services.
Only 24.2 % of carers said they had as much social contact as they would like. Nationally the figure is 29.3 %. This suggests that, even though carers are given money, they may struggle to use it to reduce loneliness. A lack of group activities, transport or short-break options could be limiting their chance to see friends or family.
Finding information seems less of a problem: 58.9 % felt it is easy to get service information, almost identical to the England rate of 59.3 %. The council therefore appears to provide clear signposting, but the low take-up of “information and advice” support hints that many carers manage without formal contact after the first enquiry.
South Gloucestershire’s population has grown from 285,000 in 2019 to nearly 300,000 in 2023. Density is 584 residents per km², far below the England average of 2,469. The mix of suburban towns and rural fringes can make face-to-face support harder to reach, which may explain lower social contact scores.
The area is relatively affluent, with an average deprivation decile of 7.6. Affluence may let families provide more help on their own, keeping the unpaid-carer rate slightly down. It can also make direct payments attractive, as carers may have the skills and networks to arrange private help.
High use of direct payments shows trust in carers to manage support, yet low social contact suggests the approach is not fully meeting emotional and social needs. Expanding peer groups, day activities and respite could cut loneliness. Recording more detail on other support types would also give a fuller picture of need. With the population still rising, ensuring a balanced offer of cash, advice and practical breaks will be important to keep carers healthy and able to go on caring.
✨ ✅ ❌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
South Gloucestershire has 49 community-based adult social care services and 78 residential homes. The raw numbers sit below the England averages of 63.8 and 91, yet the picture changes when the local population of about 299,000 people is taken into account. The area offers about 16.4 community services and 26.1 residential homes per 100,000 residents, while the national rates stand at roughly 16.9 and 24.1. In other words, residents have slightly better access to residential care, and broadly similar access to community services, even though the county is less densely settled (584 people per km² versus an England mean of 2,469). The supply therefore appears well matched to local need, despite a growing population that has risen by 5 % in five years. Ongoing growth may, however, press hardest on community support, where the head-room is slimmer.
Only 7.9 % of local providers are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, compared with 16.8 % nationally. The low figure suggests strong management and effective partnerships with the Care Quality Commission. Higher affluence also plays a part: the mean deprivation decile is 7.6, so providers face fewer extremes of poverty that can complicate care delivery. Good quality should translate into safer services and fewer safeguarding concerns, yet it can also raise public expectations, which will have to be sustained as demand grows.
The reported turnover rate is 26.0 %, almost identical to the South West and England norm of 26.1 %. The vacancy rate is lower than average (6.3 % versus 8.4 %), indicating that, at present, posts are being filled. Despite this, 89 % of employers say recruiting is “more” or “much more” difficult, and 77 % say the same for retention. These feelings are noticeably higher than regional benchmarks (79.8 % and 68.1 %). Two local factors may explain the gap. First, unemployment is low in an affluent, largely suburban economy, so competition from retail, logistics and health is keen. Second, the area’s lower rural share (19 %) means providers compete for staff within a single urban labour market, driving up wages and making vacancies harder to fill even when positions do not stay open for long.
South Gloucestershire starts from a position of relative strength: adequate per-capita supply, good quality and modest vacancy levels. The chief risks lie in future demand and workforce pressure. A rising, ageing population could stretch community services first, because numbers are already only just in line with national norms. At the same time, providers feel vulnerable to staff shortages, even though headline vacancy data still look favourable. A coordinated plan that links workforce incentives, training and career pathways with gradual expansion of community support would help preserve today’s positive outcomes. Because deprivation is low, targeted schemes may need to focus less on poverty and more on travel, housing and flexible hours, so that the sector remains attractive in a competitive labour market. Continued quality monitoring will also be vital, as high standards are a clear local strength that should not be eroded as services scale up.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
South Gloucestershire serves about 300,000 residents. The area is less deprived than most of England and has a medium population density. These background factors often give services a good base for quality work. The data below show where this advantage is used well and where more change is still needed.
Ninety-nine per cent of local hospital discharges come from trusts that the Care Quality Commission views as acceptable. This is ten points above the England figure and shows strong relationships with acute providers. Even so, sixteen per cent of discharges are delayed, four points higher than the national rate, and each delay lasts on average 1.3 days rather than 0.7. The mix of high-quality trusts and long waits suggests that the block is not inside the wards but in the hand-over to community care or social care. A fast-growing population, up five per cent since 2019, may be adding pressure. Travel times in a semi-suburban area could also slow the set-up of home support packages, keeping people in beds for longer.
Sixty-eight per cent of adult social care users say they are satisfied with the help they receive, above the national score of sixty-five per cent. This is a positive sign that, when services reach people, they work well. Another survey carried out by NatCen records fifty-seven per cent dissatisfaction, but no national figure is offered. The gap between the two surveys may point to differing questions or to higher expectations among a relatively affluent population. Local leaders may wish to explore this further to avoid hidden unmet need.
Seventy-one per cent of users feel it is easy to find information about services, slightly better than the England average of sixty-eight per cent. Good digital coverage in a less rural district may help, yet almost three in ten still struggle. Clearer sign-posting at discharge and in primary care could cut delays and reduce repeat enquiries.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 4.7 complaints per 100,000 residents in 2024 and decided on 5.0, both a little above national levels. Because the area is not highly deprived, the higher complaint rate may show that residents feel confident to raise concerns rather than pointing to poorer performance. A transparent learning process is therefore vital; turning each complaint into a quality cycle could protect future satisfaction scores.
The council benefits from partnerships with well-rated hospitals and from generally good user feedback. The main weakness is the length and frequency of delayed discharges. Extra focus on home care capacity, rapid equipment delivery and better discharge planning could free beds and lift user experience even further. Given the area’s sound financial and social position, service leaders have room to invest in these changes and demonstrate continued quality improvement.
✨ ✅ ❌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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South Gloucestershire spent about £54,300 for every 100,000 residents on adult social care in 2024. This is roughly £543 per resident, well above the England mean of £478. Converting the per-capita figure to a cash sum, the Council’s gross bill is close to £163 million, given the 2023 mid-year population of 299,439. After taking account of income, the net cost falls to £468 per resident (£140 million in cash), still noticeably higher than the national norm of £405.
Two external funding sources shape the gap between gross and net spend. Client contributions bring in £7,516 per 100,000 people (£75 per resident), almost identical to the England average. NHS contributions, however, stand at only £5,120 per 100,000 (£51 per resident) against an England figure of £79. In other words, South Gloucestershire leans more heavily on its own budget and on charges to residents, while receiving comparatively less money from the local NHS.
The above-average gross and net spending points to a local authority that is willing or able to fund social care more generously than many peers. Several contextual factors help to explain this.
First, South Gloucestershire is relatively affluent: the mean Index of Multiple Deprivation decile is 7.6, two points higher (that is, less deprived) than the England average. Better-off populations tend to generate higher council-tax bases, making it easier to raise revenue for care without steep increases in tax rates. The similar level of client contributions also reflects the higher share of residents able to pay towards their care.
Second, population density is moderate (584 residents per km2) and the area is less rural than the English norm (19 % rural vs 35 %). Delivering domiciliary support in compact settlements costs less per visit than in very dispersed areas, allowing the council to direct a greater share of its budget to frontline hours rather than travel and infrastructure.
Third, the population is growing steadily, rising by about 5 % since 2019. Growth usually comes with higher demand for assessments, reablement and long-term packages. Investing ahead of the curve can prevent bottlenecks, reduce waiting lists and shorten hospital discharge delays. The council’s higher gross spend could therefore be a strategic response to current and anticipated pressure, rather than a sign of inefficiency.
The relatively small NHS transfer may indicate limited use of joint Continuing Healthcare packages or fewer integrated service lines. For service users, this can matter: when health money is not available, eligibility tests shift more costs onto the council and, in turn, local taxpayers. Strengthening partnership working with the Integrated Care Board could help South Gloucestershire ease the burden on its own budget and achieve greater stability if central grants tighten.
Maintaining spend above the national average has so far been possible thanks to a strong tax base and a comparatively low deprivation profile. If either factor changes—through a downturn in house-price growth, further demographic ageing, or tighter Treasury rules—the council could face hard choices. Enhanced NHS pooling, a stronger focus on preventive community services, and continued monitoring of client contribution policies will be essential to keep the system sustainable without eroding access or quality.
Information on recent budget reductions is missing, and central government has not published a clear estimate of the true cost of adult social care. Transparent, multi-year funding plans would enable South Gloucestershire to match its present ambition with guaranteed resources.
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