This page provides an overview of social care in Stockport, 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 Stockport. 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 Stockport is 18.1 per cent, a little above the England average of 17.6 per cent. This fits with the area’s mixed pattern of deprivation: the mean deprivation decile is close to the national mid-point, yet the spread between least and most deprived neighbourhoods is wider than normal. Some wards therefore contain larger groups of disabled residents, while others look more affluent. The borough’s population is growing slowly and is already dense, at 2,338 people per km². In such settings even a small rise in prevalence can create visible extra pressure on services.
In 2024, 4,065 working-age adults (18–64) asked the council for social care. This equals 1,357 requests per 100,000 residents, around one fifth higher than the England figure of 1,143. A higher request rate can point to good local awareness of support, but it can also signal unmet need in the community, especially in pockets of deprivation. The fact that Stockport residents are not widely spread out makes it easier to come forward, yet service teams still need to manage heavier front-door demand than many peers.
Despite the extra enquiries, 1,440 working-age adults received long-term care during 2024. The rate, 481 per 100,000, is below the national mean of 533. In other words, more people ask for help than average, but fewer end up in a long-term care package. Part of the gap may be positive, reflecting early advice or short-term reablement. It could also hint at tight eligibility or funding constraints. Close monitoring is needed to be sure that residents with substantial needs are not turned away.
Stockport places proportionally fewer disabled adults in residential care than England as a whole (35 per 100,000 versus 61). Nursing home use is slightly above average, but numbers remain small. Most support happens in the community. Direct payments, both full and part, are well used, with rates of 149 and 67 per 100,000, both higher than national norms. The council therefore appears to prefer personalised, home-based help where possible. In contrast, council-managed personal budgets delivered by commissioned services are lower than average. This mix matches the borough’s policy of promoting choice and independence, yet it also requires a well-developed home-care market and robust safeguarding.
Figures for 2025 show very low requests for help with assessments, charging or legal issues. Information-seeking sits close to the England average, while complaints and safeguarding advocacy are rare. The low counts may reflect good signposting at first contact, but they could also mask hidden dissatisfaction if some residents find the system hard to navigate. Given the higher initial demand for care, monitoring user feedback remains important.
Stockport’s disabled population is slightly larger than average and continues to grow with the borough. High front-door demand and strong use of community-based direct payments place strain on brokerage, personal assistant recruitment and market oversight. The lower rate of long-term services suggests either effective early intervention or possible unmet need. Regular outcome audits, targeted support in deprived neighbourhoods and investment in community provision will help ensure that disabled residents receive timely, suitable care.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Stockport has a mature population. In 2019 one person in five was aged 65 or over (20.0%). By 2023 the share had inched up to 20.2%. The national profile is lower, rising from 18.4% to 18.5% in the same period. Population growth has been steady, from 293,000 to almost 300,000, and density is high at 2,338 people per km². The borough is neither markedly rich nor poor overall, yet the spread of deprivation across neighbourhoods is wide. This mix of size, age and inequality creates a complex pattern of need.
In 2024 about 7,595 residents aged 65+ asked the council for formal care or support. This equals 2,536 requests per 100,000 older people, roughly 4% above the England rate of 2,438. A slightly older population explains part of the extra demand, yet the gap remains after adjusting for population size. It suggests that older residents in Stockport are more willing or more able to approach the council, or that community and family networks are less able to meet needs on their own.
During the same year 3,270 older residents were in long-term council-supported services. That is 1,092 per 100,000, around 9% above the national figure of 1,003. The pattern of care is revealing. Nursing home use stands at 144 per 100,000, above the national 122. Residential home use is also higher at 269 versus 250. Community care shows a split: direct payment routes are used less than average, while council-managed personal budgets are used far more (614 per 100,000 compared with 508). This points to a system in which the council continues to play a strong commissioning role and where some older people may be reluctant to manage their own support packages.
In 2025 the council logged very few recorded enquiries under the broad UT1 headings. For example, only two older people per 300,000 sought help to prepare a care plan, below the national rate. Low volumes could reflect effective early signposting or, conversely, limited awareness of the service. Given the higher levels of formal care use, the second explanation deserves attention.
The combined evidence shows a borough with a growing, ageing population that already turns to formal services more than average. Higher use of nursing and residential care hints at frailer clients or at possible gaps in community-based alternatives. The low take-up of direct payments may indicate that current support arrangements feel complex to older residents or their carers.
Stockport’s wide deprivation spread means some neighbourhoods are likely to face both financial strain and poor health. Targeted community services in these areas could slow the flow into costly institutional care. At the same time, maintaining sufficient nursing home capacity, workforce and funding will be vital, because demand is already above national norms and is likely to rise as the older share of the population increases.
✨ ✅ ❌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 an estimated 8,876 unpaid carers lived in Stockport for every 100,000 residents. Scaling this to the mid-2021 population (about 295,000 people) gives roughly 26,000 carers. The local rate sits 8 % above the England figure of 8,204 per 100,000. Although Stockport’s total population is smaller than the national average, it has grown steadily in recent years and is relatively dense for a metropolitan borough. A higher-than-average concentration of carers therefore suggests heavier informal caring activity rather than a simple population effect. Local age structure data are not shown, yet within Greater Manchester Stockport has a comparatively older profile; this is likely to lift demand for family care, especially for long-term conditions.
The 2024 activity data reveal a distinctive pattern. Direct payments to carers are issued at 436 per 100,000 residents, almost three times the England rate. By contrast, most other forms of recorded support are low or not used at all. Only 5 carers per 100,000 receive a council-managed personal budget, far below the national average of 66. Respite delivered via the cared-for person stands at 12 per 100,000 compared with 70 in England, and information or advice services reach just 47 per 100,000 against 339 nationally.
This mix points to a policy choice that favours self-directed cash packages over commissioned or universal services. It may suit carers who are confident managing their own support, yet it can leave others without guidance or practical help, particularly when time or knowledge is limited. The very low proportion recorded as receiving no direct support (8 per 100,000 versus 130 nationally) suggests that carers in contact with adult social care are almost always offered some form of assistance, but the range of options looks narrow.
Only 24.5 % of Stockport carers report having as much social contact as they would like, five percentage points below the national benchmark. Feelings that it is easy to find information about services also lag England (54.8 % versus 59.3 %). These gaps hint at social isolation and uncertainty, even though financial support is comparatively generous. Stockport’s average deprivation score is close to the national mean, yet neighbourhood variation is wide. Carers living in more deprived areas may struggle to navigate personal budgets or to build peer networks, contributing to lower satisfaction scores.
The combination of a high carer prevalence, heavy use of direct payments, and low ratings for social contact signals a need to broaden the local support offer. Community-based respite, information hubs and peer groups could complement cash payments, giving carers both choice and connection. Stockport’s urban layout, with only 9 % rural land, means such services can be delivered at relatively short travel distances. Targeting the most deprived neighbourhoods, where health need and caring burden often intersect, could further reduce inequalities. As the borough’s population continues to rise, sustaining a balanced menu of support will help unpaid carers stay well and 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
In 2024 Stockport has 54 community-based adult social care providers. With a population of about 300,000, this equals roughly 18 providers for every 100,000 residents. The England average is 16.9 per 100,000. This suggests that home and day support in Stockport is relatively easy to find, matching the borough’s mostly urban setting where travel distances are short.
Residential care shows a different picture. Stockport records 61 care homes, or 20.4 per 100,000 people, compared with a national rate of 24.1. Fewer care-home places per head may push some older or disabled residents to look outside the borough or to rely for longer on community care. Given that only 8.6 per cent of the local land is rural, distance to the nearest home is unlikely to be a major barrier, but choice of provider may be limited.
Just over one in five local providers (20.7 per cent) are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, against 16.8 per cent across England. A higher share of weaker ratings can point to pressure on staffing, leadership or finances. Stockport is only slightly less deprived than England on average, yet it has a wide spread of deprivation scores. Providers working in its poorer neighbourhoods may find it harder to recruit experienced staff and to sustain investment, which can lower inspection outcomes.
The adult social care workforce in the North West, the best proxy for Stockport, had a turnover rate of 25.4 per cent in 2023/24, almost identical to the national figure. Vacancies, at 7.5 per cent, sit below the England rate of 8.4 per cent, yet 81.3 per cent of employers still describe recruiting staff as “more” or “much more” challenging, and 69.5 per cent say the same for retention. This mix hints that posts are being filled, but often by new and less experienced workers who move on quickly. High churn can disrupt continuity of care and may help explain the weaker inspection grades noted above.
Stockport’s population has grown steadily from 293,000 in 2019 to almost 300,000 in 2023. Density (2,338 residents per km²) is close to the England norm, so services must cope with both city-like demand levels and some suburban spread. Mean deprivation is average, but the large gap between the borough’s richest and poorest areas adds complexity: providers must tailor different models of care within short distances, raising costs and management effort.
The borough enjoys a healthy supply of community care, but fewer care-home places and a higher share of low-rated services point to areas for action. Strengthening workforce development, especially in deprived wards, could lift inspection results and reduce turnover. Monitoring population growth and ageing will help decide whether to expand residential capacity or to invest further in home-based support. Given Stockport’s moderate vacancy rate, targeted pay, training and career pathways may be more effective than broad recruitment drives, ensuring that the right staff stay long enough to deliver consistent, high-quality care.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
Stockport’s care system is performing well on several quality items, yet there are clear pressure points around hospital discharge and complaints handling. The borough has about 300,000 residents and is slightly less deprived than the England average, but its neighbourhoods are more mixed than most, with a higher spread of deprivation ranks. High density (2,338 people per km²) makes smooth flow through services especially important, because any blockage is felt quickly by hospitals and community teams alike.
Ninety-six per cent of Stockport discharges in November 2024 came from trusts judged acceptable by the Care Quality Commission, seven percentage points above the England mean. This suggests good strategic use of higher-quality acute providers. However, 17.6 per cent of those discharges were delayed, well above the national 12.3 per cent. The average delay length was 0.82 days versus 0.7 days nationally. Taken together, the data imply that while patients are in the right hospitals, step-down capacity in the community may not keep pace with need. Stockport’s relatively dense urban form means beds turn over faster, so even small timing problems can inflate the headline delay percentage.
Seventy-two per cent of adult social care users said they were satisfied with their support in 2024, comfortably ahead of the England figure of 64.7 per cent. Satisfaction remains strong even though another survey source records a 57 per cent dissatisfaction rate; the apparent contradiction may reflect different question wording, or greater willingness among local residents to express critical views when asked in detail. Ease of finding information is broadly in line with the national rate (68.7 per cent versus 68.2 per cent), indicating that signposting is not a major barrier.
In 2024 the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 5.7 complaints per 100,000 Stockport residents, compared with 4.5 per 100,000 across England. That equates to roughly 17 written complaints in the year. Decisions were issued on about 14 cases (4.7 per 100,000) versus an England rate of 4.1. Higher complaint prevalence can signal three things: a population that is better informed, genuine service issues, or a combination of both. Given the high satisfaction rate, the first explanation is plausible, but the backlog of delayed discharges hints that some complaints may relate to care transitions.
The data paint a picture of a council that secures high-quality hospital support and maintains good relationships with most service users, yet struggles to move people out of hospital quickly. Stockport’s middling deprivation profile means there is not an unusually high level of need, so the delay problem is likely organisational rather than demand-driven. Improving coordination between hospital discharge teams, reablement services and community care providers could reduce both the proportion and length of delays.
Although complaints are slightly above average, they remain low in absolute terms and may reflect an engaged, well-informed public. Even so, each complaint represents lost time and trust, so rapid learning loops should link Ombudsman findings back into quality improvement plans.
Maintaining current satisfaction levels while addressing discharge delays will require targeted investment in step-down beds, home care hours and information sharing. With population growth of roughly 6,000 since 2019 and limited rural space for new facilities, efficiency gains and digital support are likely to offer the best returns.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Stockport spent about £158 million on adult social care in total. After income from client fees and NHS transfers the net cost to the council was roughly £130 million. When we adjust for population the gross spend is £52.6 thousand for every 100 000 residents. This is higher than the England average of £47.8 thousand. Net spend shows the same pattern: £43.3 thousand per 100 000 people locally against £40.5 thousand nationally.
Clients contributed around £28 million, equal to £9.3 thousand per 100 000 residents. This sits well above the national rate of £7.3 thousand. NHS contributions brought in about £22.6 million, or £7.5 thousand per 100 000. Here Stockport falls a little below the English mean of £7.9 thousand.
Higher council spending per resident implies either greater demand or a decision to fund a wider range of support. Stockport’s population is smaller than the average local authority yet very dense, with 2 338 usual residents per square kilometre. Dense urban areas often see higher need for community care, home care and short-stay services because space for informal support is limited.
Deprivation is close to the England norm but the spread between the richest and poorest neighbourhoods is larger than usual. A wide deprivation gap can raise costs: more affluent residents may pay higher fees, lifting client income, while pockets of poverty still drive strong demand for council-funded care. The above-average client contribution rate fits this mixed picture: some residents can and do pay more, easing net cost without reducing overall activity.
NHS money is slightly lower than average. This may reflect fewer jointly funded packages, or tighter health budgets locally. If NHS support stays flat while social care demand rises, the council could face extra pressure to backfill costs.
Population has grown steadily from 293 000 in 2019 to almost 300 000 in 2023 and is still rising. Even modest growth matters when adult social care already absorbs significant funds. Stockport’s decision to spend above the national norm now may be a hedge against future demand linked to an ageing population.
The data point to a council that is proactive: it spends more than average and secures higher client income, helping it keep net costs under some control. Yet the small shortfall in NHS money hints at a risk of cost-shifting from health to social care. Strengthening integrated commissioning could protect both budgets.
Because the borough is mainly urban, community-based services must remain a priority. Higher spending should focus on reablement, extra-care housing and support for unpaid carers, all of which can delay or prevent expensive residential placements.
No current information on budget cuts is available, and national commentary suggests a lack of clarity on overall funding needs. Maintaining a clear local view of demand, alongside open dialogue with residents and the NHS, will be vital to keep Stockport’s social care system stable.
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