This page provides an overview of social care in Trafford, 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 Trafford. 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
In 2024 an estimated 16.6 % of Trafford’s residents reported a disability after age-standardisation, just below the England average of 17.6 %. Trafford’s relatively low prevalence fits its wider profile: the borough is less deprived than most councils (mean deprivation decile 6.8 versus the national 5.9) and shows only tiny rural areas. Better health linked to affluence, good transport, and concentrated services may all help to keep disability rates down.
Despite the lower prevalence, demand for help is high. In 2024 there were 3 820 requests for support from adults aged 18–64. This equals 1 609 requests per 100 000 residents, about 40 % above the national figure of 1 143. Trafford therefore sees proportionally more disabled adults coming forward than most councils. Possible reasons include strong information campaigns, easier referral routes in an urban setting, or rising complexity of need among a minority of residents.
Only 1 085 working-age adults received long-term care during the same year, or 457 per 100 000 people. This is lower than the England benchmark of 533 per 100 000. Put simply, Trafford records more requests but supports fewer people. The gap hints at tight eligibility thresholds, robust early-help responses that divert people away from long-term packages, or capacity constraints in local provision.
Trafford’s mix of services differs from the national pattern. Use of nursing care (11 per 100 000) and residential care (42) is below average (14 and 61 respectively), confirming a preference for community-based options. Direct payments managed solely by the individual (103) also sit below the national picture (122), while support commissioned directly by the council (135) is more than double the England mean (58). Trafford therefore leans heavily on council-arranged community support rather than personal budgets. This approach may reduce administrative burden for residents but could limit personalised choice.
Data for 2025 show small but notable volumes of advocacy-type contacts. Help with assessments, care plans, charging queries and information seeking all run slightly above national rates per head, while safeguarding enquiries are broadly in line. Taken with the earlier demand figures, this suggests that once residents enter the system they stay engaged, asking for clarification and protection. High contact about charging may arise from means-tested contributions in a comparatively affluent area where people move in and out of eligibility.
Trafford’s disabled population is smaller in proportion than England’s, yet service demand is intense and front-loaded. Commissioners face three key issues. First, the conversion of requests into open care packages is low, risking unmet need or repeat referrals. Second, the heavy reliance on council-commissioned community support may restrict flexibility; expanding personalised budgets could improve satisfaction. Third, continued population growth—from 235 000 in 2020 to 237 500 in 2023—means that absolute numbers of disabled residents will still rise even if prevalence remains modest.
Maintaining accessible information, reviewing eligibility processes, and stimulating a broader care market will help Trafford align its strong early engagement with timely, personalised support for disabled adults.
✨ ✅ ❌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
The share of residents aged 65 years or more has edged up every year, from 17.4 per cent in 2019 to 17.7 per cent in 2023. England as a whole rose from 18.4 to 18.5 per cent over the same time. Trafford is therefore still a little younger than the national average, but it is ageing at a similar pace.
Trafford has about 237 000 people and is almost completely urban, with 0.4 per cent of land classed as rural. Average deprivation is low (decile 6.8 against England’s 5.9), but the spread of deprivation is wide, which means small pockets of need sit next to very comfortable areas. This mix can shape patterns of care demand.
In 2024 there were 7 665 requests for adult social care from residents aged 65 plus. This equals 3 228 requests per 100 000 residents, far above the national figure of 2 438. The higher rate is notable because the borough has a smaller proportion of older people. Possible reasons include good access to information in an urban setting, greater awareness among residents, or unmet health needs linked to deprivation hot-spots.
A total of 2 600 older residents were in long-term care during 2024, or 1 095 per 100 000 people. The national rate is 1 003, so Trafford supports slightly more people than the average council.
Nursing care sits just over the England rate (124 vs 122 per 100 000), while permanent residential care is a little lower (234 vs 250). The big difference is in community services that the council commissions and manages itself (312 vs 137). In contrast, the use of personal budgets is lower than average, both for full direct payments and for part direct payments. This suggests that many families prefer—or are guided towards—council-arranged home support rather than taking on the role of employer and budget holder themselves.
Small numbers for 2025 show that most recorded advice requests from older people are about charging rules (11.8 per 100 000, twice the national rate). Questions about assessments, care plans or legal issues are in line with England or below. High interest in charging may point to confusion about contributions, especially in a borough where personal wealth varies sharply between neighbourhoods.
The rising share of older residents is modest, yet service use is relatively high. Urban density can make it easier to identify need and deliver care, but it can also mask loneliness and complex health conditions that drive demand. Trafford’s mix of affluence and deprivation means some residents can pay for their own support, while others rely heavily on the council. The very high level of council-commissioned home care, alongside fewer personal budgets, could strain provider markets if costs rise.
Keeping demand at a sustainable level may require more prevention—falls services, community groups and housing adaptations—so that first contact with social care is delayed. Clear, plain information on charging could also lower the number of enquiries and reduce anxiety for families. Finally, monitoring the balance between commissioned support and personal budgets will help ensure that choice and control for older people do not slip as the population 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 Trafford had about 7,988 unpaid carers for every 100,000 residents. With a mid-year population of roughly 235,600, this equals a little under 19,000 local people who look after a family member or friend. The national rate is slightly higher at 8,204 per 100,000. Trafford’s lower figure may reflect its age profile: the borough has many working-age adults and fewer very old residents than some areas, so there may be less heavy care need. Trafford is also less deprived on average than England. Better health that often comes with lower deprivation can delay the point at which unpaid care becomes essential. Nevertheless, in such a densely populated, largely urban place even a modest rate translates into a large absolute number of carers who will look for support close to home.
Trafford gives several forms of direct support. Around 150 carers per 100,000 receive a direct payment, matching the England average. Far more – about 459 per 100,000, over four times the national figure – hold a council-managed personal budget. This suggests Trafford favours arranging services on the carer’s behalf rather than handing over cash. A very high rate, roughly 716 per 100,000, benefit from information, advice or other universal services; this is twice the national mean. Good sign-posting often costs less than hands-on care and may suit an area where digital access is strong. On the other hand only 46 per 100,000 carers benefit from respite delivered to the cared-for person, against 70 nationally. Limited respite could make it harder for carers to get real breaks, especially when many live in compact urban housing with little extra space.
Only 25.2 % of Trafford carers feel they have as much social contact as they would like, compared with 29.3 % across England. City life often puts services nearby, yet it can still be lonely. Caring tasks limit free time and, in high-cost areas, friends and family may live further away. The shortfall hints at unmet need for day centres, peer groups or flexible respite that lets carers meet others.
Despite gaps in social contact, 59.8 % of local carers say it is easy to find information about services, a touch above the 59.3 % national figure. This matches the borough’s investment in advice lines and online guidance. The message channels are working, but good information alone is not enough to create social ties.
Trafford has fewer carers per head than England yet sees a strong demand for managed personal budgets and advice. Carers know where to turn, but many still feel isolated, and respite options look thinner than average. Given the borough’s mixed pockets of affluence and deprivation, some neighbourhoods may miss out more than others. Targeted community hubs, evening social groups and an expansion of respite that supports both carer and cared-for person could improve wellbeing. As the population ages, the current service pattern – heavy on advice, lighter on breaks – may need to shift to avoid pressure on carers and, ultimately, on formal health and care services.
✨ ✅ ❌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 Trafford has 37 community-based adult social care services and 53 residential care services. When set against a mid-2023 population of around 237,500 people, this gives roughly 15.6 community providers and 22.3 residential providers per 100,000 residents. The England averages, calculated with the typical local authority population of 377,100, stand at about 16.9 and 24.1 per 100,000 respectively. Trafford therefore has a slightly thinner market than most areas, although the gap is modest. With a very compact geography (2,217 residents per square kilometre) and almost no rural territory, travel times are short. Fewer providers can still give good geographic coverage, so the lower count is not automatically a sign of limited access.
The borough is also somewhat less deprived than the national norm (mean deprivation decile 6.8 versus 5.9). Lower deprivation often goes with higher car ownership, stronger informal care and better housing stock, all of which can dampen demand for formal services. This may help explain why a smaller provider base appears sufficient.
Only 13.2 % of local services are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, compared with 16.8 % nationally. A leaner market therefore delivers above-average quality. High population density may contribute: inspectors can visit easily, providers see one another’s practice and can share staff or training, and commissioners can monitor performance closely. For residents and their families this translates into a better chance of finding a good or outstanding service within a short distance of home.
The workforce picture is mixed. Turnover sits at 25.4 %, almost identical to the North-West average, while the vacancy rate is lower at 7.0 % (England 8.4 %). On the surface this suggests Trafford is coping slightly better with staffing shortfalls. However, 69.5 % of employers say retaining staff is now “more” or “much more” difficult, and 81.3 % give the same answer for recruitment. These scores are both a little above regional norms, signalling that employers feel the labour market tightening even if vacancies are not yet as high.
Several local factors may be at play. Trafford’s proximity to Manchester offers competing jobs in retail, hospitality and health, driving pay expectations up. At the same time, because quality ratings are good, managers may be reluctant to back-fill posts with inexperienced staff, which can slow recruitment. A low vacancy rate can therefore coexist with high perceived difficulty in hiring.
Commissioners should watch two issues. First, the volume of community services is somewhat below average. As the population ages, demand for care at home could rise faster than the current market can absorb. Encouraging new entrants or supporting existing providers to expand would add resilience. Second, workforce stress signals the need for joined-up action on pay, training and career pathways, especially in neighbourhoods that combine high deprivation with limited job opportunities.
Overall, Trafford offers a relatively high-quality care market that functions well in a dense urban setting, but it will need careful nurturing to keep pace with future demand and to sustain its skilled workforce.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
In November 2024, 86 per cent of Trafford residents left hospital to a care setting that the Care Quality Commission classes as “acceptable”. The England figure was 89 per cent. A gap of three points, although modest, matters because Trafford already runs a relatively small system; each missed safe discharge represents a larger share of local activity than in many councils.
More worrying is the flow of people who wait too long once they are ready to leave. Trafford recorded delay in 18 per cent of discharges, compared with a national average of 12 per cent. The average delay was just over one day (1.0), while England averaged 0.7 days. Delays of even a few hours raise risk of deconditioning for older patients and they push costs back into the acute sector. Given Trafford’s urban geography, travel distances are short, so the main cause is unlikely to be transport. Capacity or co-ordination in community services is the more probable pressure point.
Only 52.3 per cent of respondents in the 2024 adult social care survey said they were satisfied with the help they receive, well below the England average of 64.7 per cent. A separate NatCen study reports a dissatisfaction rate of 57 per cent, reinforcing the message that many residents feel services fall short of their expectations.
Finding the right information appears slightly easier than the national picture yet still leaves room for improvement. Two thirds of respondents (64.5 per cent) said it was easy to locate advice about services, against 68.2 per cent for England. Combined with the low satisfaction score, this suggests that guidance is available but may not lead to solutions that people judge as helpful or timely.
Trafford recorded 5.9 complaints received per 100,000 residents in 2024, equivalent to around 14 cases. Decisions on 4.6 per 100,000 (about 11 cases) were issued the same year. Both rates sit above the England means of 4.45 and 4.12 respectively. A higher complaint rate does not automatically mean poorer practice; Trafford’s relatively affluent, well-educated population—its average deprivation decile is 6.8, above the England mean of 5.9—may simply be more willing to use formal routes when things go wrong. Nonetheless, each upheld case carries a direct improvement cost and can erode public trust.
Trafford’s population has stayed close to 236,000 for five years, far smaller than the England mean of 377,000. Density is high at 2,217 residents per square kilometre, and rural areas are almost absent. These factors usually support efficient service delivery because journeys are short and economies of scale are easier to achieve. However, Trafford also shows marked internal inequality: the spread of deprivation scores is wider than average. Services therefore have to respond both to affluent neighbourhoods with high expectations and to pockets of need that may require more intensive support.
The picture points to two linked priorities. First, Trafford must reduce discharge delays by strengthening joint working between hospitals, reablement teams and home-care providers. Better flow would not only cut risk for individuals but could raise satisfaction and lower the complaint rate. Second, the council should examine why people feel unhappy with the help they receive. Qualitative feedback, focused on deprived wards, may reveal whether the issue is waiting time, choice, or perceived quality. Clearer sign-posting alone will not be enough; residents need to see that information leads to prompt, effective services.
Overall, Trafford benefits from its size, urban form and relative affluence. If it can close the gaps on delayed discharge and user satisfaction, its underlying advantages give it a good platform for sustained 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.
✨ ✅ ❌?
In 2024 Trafford’s gross adult social care bill is about £107 million. This equals £44,971 for every 100,000 residents, around six per cent below the England rate of £47,758. After taking income into account, the net cost to the council falls to roughly £90 million, or £37,824 per 100,000 people. Again, this is about seven per cent lower than the national figure of £40,472.
People who use services contribute close to £17 million, or £7,147 per 100,000 residents. This is almost level with the England average, even though Trafford is less deprived than most places. The large difference lies in money from the NHS. Local NHS bodies add only £9 million (£3,763 per 100,000), just under half of the national rate of £7,878. Lower NHS support may mean fewer jointly funded care packages or less use of Continuing Healthcare. It could also push more cost back to the council budget.
Trafford has a stable mid-sized population of 237,000, smaller than the average English authority. Density is high (2,217 people per km²) and the area is almost entirely urban, which can reduce travel costs for home care and make day services easier to group together. Deprivation is low (mean decile 6.8 versus 5.9 nationally), yet inequality inside the borough is wide, with affluent wards sitting next to some deprived neighbourhoods. Lower overall need may partly explain the below-average spend, but pockets of hardship suggest demand is uneven and may rise quickly in certain streets or estates.
The small gap between Trafford and the national spend per head hints at efficient delivery rather than under-funding. Urban density gives scope for economies of scale, and higher household incomes let many residents pay more towards their own care. These factors support a modest council outlay without obvious cuts to front-line activity.
However, the sharp shortfall in NHS contributions raises questions about partnership working. If fewer people receive fully or partly NHS-funded packages, social care teams may be meeting health-related needs from their own budgets. This could limit investment in prevention or strain the support offered to unpaid carers.
Maintaining good links with the Integrated Care Board is vital. Clearer criteria for Continuing Healthcare and more joint planning could shift a fairer share of costs to the health side and free council funds for early help. At the same time, the borough should keep an eye on its internal inequalities. Targeted outreach in the most deprived wards will help prevent unmet need from being hidden by the borough’s comfortable averages.
Overall, Trafford spends slightly less than England on adult social care, but the difference looks proportionate to its population profile and urban setting. The main risk lies in the limited NHS cash flow. Addressing that gap will make the system more resilient and give residents confidence that care will stay both high-quality and sustainable.
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