This page provides an overview of social care in West Northamptonshire, 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.
NULLDeprivation 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.
NULLDeprivation 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 West Northamptonshire. 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
About sixteen per cent of people in West Northamptonshire say they are disabled after age-standardisation. The England rate is 17.6 per cent. The lower figure may show that the area has a slightly younger or healthier population. It could also mean that some disabled residents are not recorded, especially in rural villages where services are farther away. The local population is large and growing, rising from 422,000 in 2019 to 434,000 in 2023, so the absolute number of disabled people is still high even with the lower rate.
In 2024, 2,900 working-age adults (18–64) asked the council for social care. This equals about 668 requests for every 100,000 residents. The national figure is 1,143 per 100,000. Fewer requests per head may point to better informal support from families or charities. It may also reflect barriers such as travel time, limited internet access in rural spots, or low awareness of the right to ask for help.
Two thousand and thirty working-age adults received ongoing care in the same year, or 467 per 100,000 people. The England rate is 533 per 100,000. Most local care is given in the community. Direct payment only support (107 per 100,000) and part direct payment support (60 per 100,000) are close to, or slightly above, national levels. This shows the council encourages personal budgets and self-directed care. Residential care (48 per 100,000) and nursing care (12 per 100,000) are both below the England average. A lower use of beds can be positive if people are safely supported at home. It can, however, hide unmet need when suitable housing or carers are lacking.
The largest single group, 1,045 people, receive a council-managed personal budget for community support. That rate, 241 per 100,000, is just under the England mean of 267. The mix suggests a balanced approach: the council offers choice but still steps in when residents cannot manage the budget alone.
In 2025 small but telling numbers of residents asked for specific help. Charging issues (27 cases, 6.2 per 100,000) and information seeking (19 cases, 4.4 per 100,000) are both a little higher than national rates. This hints at some confusion about care costs and where to find clear guidance. Requests linked to safeguarding, mental capacity, and legal matters are low and sit close to the England norm, which may show that most serious risks are already being picked up by other routes.
West Northamptonshire has a growing, spread-out population and a slightly lower recorded disability rate. Fewer requests for support and lower care receipt per head could mean that needs are well managed in the community, yet they could also mask hidden demand, especially in rural wards. Continued focus on clear advice, outreach, and flexible community packages is wise. Rising population alone will push raw numbers up, so the council should plan now for more assessments, personal budget staff, and transport solutions. Strengthening early advice on charging and signposting could cut later crises and formal complaints. Overall, the data point to a system that prefers home-based care, but it must stay alert to gaps in access and to the future growth in need.
✨ ✅ ❌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
West Northamptonshire is growing. The total population rose from 422,000 in 2019 to 434,000 in 2023. The share of residents aged 65 and over also went up, from 16.9 % to 17.4 % in the same period. England as a whole has a higher share of older people, at about 18.5 % in 2023. The gap shows that the local area is a little younger than average, but it is ageing year by year. With only 309 people per square kilometre, the area is far less crowded than the England average. Longer travel times can make it harder for services to reach people in small villages.
In 2024 there were 8,205 requests for support from residents aged 65+. This equals 1,889 requests for every 100,000 older people. The England rate is higher, at 2,438 per 100,000. The lower rate fits the younger age profile, yet the steady rise in the older population suggests that demand will keep climbing. Rural spread may also hide some unmet need if people find it hard to contact the council.
At the end of 2024, 2,875 older residents were getting long-term social care. That is 662 per 100,000, well below the England figure of 1,003. The shortfall runs across settings. Nursing care stands at 82 per 100,000 (England 122); residential care at 201 (England 250); and community services at 376 in total, only two thirds of the national norm. This may show a healthy, younger older‐age group, but it could also point to limits in supply or to barriers in getting an assessment.
Within community services the largest group, 315 per 100,000, use a council-managed personal budget. Direct payments, both full and part, are less common than the England mean. Expanding direct payments may help people in scattered villages tailor support to local transport and staffing limits.
Small numbers of older residents ask for specialist help, yet the pattern is telling. Requests about care charging (6.2 per 100,000), information seeking (4.4) and safeguarding (2.1) all sit above national levels. This hints at confusion over fees and at pockets of risk, even though the overall care user rate is low. Mental capacity issues are fewer than average, again in line with the younger profile.
The area is ageing, though from a lower base. Demand for care is likely to rise steadily rather than sharply. Current take-up of formal support is low, so extra capacity may be needed as the cohort grows older. Travel distance and low density call for strong home-care networks and good digital access to advice. Clear information on charging will help avoid disputes, and the higher safeguarding contact rate shows a need for active community monitoring. Planning now for more direct payment options and for an increase in both residential and nursing places will place the council in a better position for the next decade.
✨ ✅ ❌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 7,445 unpaid carers for every 100,000 residents. With a mid-year population of roughly 427,000 this works out at nearly 32,000 people giving regular help to a friend or family member. The local rate sits below the England figure of 8,204 per 100,000. Two factors may lie behind this gap. First, West Northamptonshire has grown quickly and has a slightly younger age profile than many shire areas, so there are proportionally fewer older residents who often require care. Second, the county is spread across market towns and rural villages. Some carers in dispersed settlements may be harder for services to identify, so they do not always appear in official counts.
Only 29.3 per cent of carers say they have as much social contact as they would like. This matches the national average, yet it still means more than two carers in three feel lonely or cut off at least some of the time. The low population density of 309 people per km² may contribute; public transport is limited and support groups can be hard to reach.
Encouragingly, 62.1 per cent report that it is easy to find information about services, slightly above the England figure of 59.3 per cent. Local digital platforms and the new unitary council’s single phone line appear to be helping carers know where to turn. Good signposting, however, is only the first step if formal help is not then available.
The number of carers receiving direct payments, personal budgets or respite is well below national levels. Only 2.3 carers per 100,000 get a pure direct payment, compared with 150 in England. Part direct payments, council-managed budgets and respite to the cared-for person all show the same pattern: activity in West Northamptonshire is only a quarter to a third of the national rate, and no figure is recorded for council-commissioned support alone. By contrast, almost 295 carers per 100,000 receive information or sign-posting, which is closer to the England rate of 339 but still lower.
This picture suggests that the council is good at giving advice yet much less able to convert that advice into funded support. Budget pressures after local government re-organisation may have raised the threshold for help. Equally, long travel distances can make in-home respite or care assessments costly to deliver, so fewer packages are approved.
The authority depends on a large, mainly hidden workforce of unpaid carers. Without stronger practical help, there is a risk of carer burnout, emergency hospital admissions and higher long-term costs. Expanding flexible respite and promoting mixed direct payment models could ease pressure. Better outreach in rural parishes, possibly through primary care networks, would help identify carers sooner. As the population continues to grow, ensuring that good information is matched by tangible support will be key to sustaining both carers and the people they look after.
✨ ✅ ❌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
West Northamptonshire has 111 community-based adult social care services and 100 residential care homes. With a 2023 population of about 434,000 people, this equals roughly 26 community services and 23 residential homes for every 100,000 residents. The national average is near 17 community services and 24 residential homes per 100,000. In short, local people have a wider choice of community support than is usual in England, while residential provision sits close to the norm.
Choice does not always mean quality. Three in ten local providers (30.4 %) are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, almost double the England figure of 16.8 %. This gap suggests that many services struggle to meet Care Quality Commission standards. A high share of weaker ratings can lead to poorer user experience, greater pressure on good providers and higher costs for commissioners who need to step in when standards fall.
Staffing issues appear to be a key reason for lower quality. The annual staff turnover rate stands at 25.5 %, in line with the regional average but still means one in four workers leave each year. Vacancies affect about 9.6 % of posts, higher than the national 8.4 %. More than four in five employers (81.4 %) say recruiting staff is now “more” or “much more” difficult, and 70.3 % report the same for retention. Persistent churn disrupts continuity of care and makes it harder to embed good practice.
The county has grown by around 8,000 residents since 2021 and is more densely populated (309 people per km²) than many shire areas, yet it remains less urban than large cities. Services must therefore cover both town and rural communities. Travel distances, limited public transport and competition for labour with Milton Keynes and Northampton can all add to recruitment problems. A growing older population—common in shire authorities—will heighten demand for both home care and residential places, stretching an already fragile workforce.
The higher supply of community services offers a good base for promoting independence and reducing hospital use, but only if quality improves. Targeted support could include:
• Workforce measures such as affordable housing schemes, travel support and clear career pathways to cut vacancies and turnover.
• Quality improvement programmes that pair weaker providers with high-performing peers.
• Stronger commissioning that rewards outcomes, not just hours of care, giving providers room to invest in staff training and digital tools.
Without these steps, the county risks the paradox of plenty: many providers, yet too few offering safe, person-centred care. Focused action now can turn quantity into quality, helping West Northamptonshire meet rising demand and ensure that every resident receives the care they deserve.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
West Northamptonshire has about 434,000 residents, and the number has risen steadily since 2019. Population density is low at 309 people per km², so people and services are spread out. This often makes home visits, transport and joint working harder than in dense urban areas.
Only 29 % of discharges from local hospitals are accepted by adult social care teams, far below the national figure of 89 %. This points to a weak interface between the council and NHS trusts. Yet the share of delayed discharges is 10.7 %, a little better than the England rate of 12.3 %, and the average delay is almost identical (0.70 days). The gap suggests that, when the council does take the case, it acts quickly, but too many people are not picked up at all. Rural travel times, staff shortages or limited care-home beds could all make the council cautious about what it can safely accept. Strengthening community capacity and shared discharge planning would therefore give rapid gains.
Just 58.8 % of survey respondents say they are satisfied with their care and support, six percentage points below the national average. Only 64.9 % find it easy to get information about services, again a little lower than England (68.2 %). Satisfaction often tracks staffing levels and clarity of communication; both are harder to maintain in a fast-growing, geographically wide area. A second study (NatCen) reports a 57 % dissatisfaction rate, underlining the message that many residents do not feel services meet their needs. Improving sign-posting, digital access and outreach in rural villages could lift both metrics.
The council received 3.68 complaints per 100,000 people, and 3.45 were taken to a decision. On a population of 434,000 this is about 16 and 15 cases, lower than the England averages of 4.45 and 4.12 respectively. A low complaint rate can signal good practice, but it can also mean that people do not know how or where to complain, which fits with the weaker “easy to find information” score. Regular promotion of the complaints process may help identify hidden issues before they grow.
The council moves cases quickly once involved, yet it accepts far fewer hospital discharges than most areas. Combined with lower satisfaction and weaker information access, this suggests capacity, communication and possibly funding pressures in front-line and brokerage teams. Rising population adds further demand, while low density raises unit costs for home care and re-ablement.
Priority actions include building extra community re-ablement slots to raise the acceptance rate, investing in staff recruitment for rural patches, and producing clearer public information in both digital and paper formats. Monitoring complaint trends after awareness campaigns will show whether lower complaint numbers truly reflect better care. If these steps succeed, they should lift satisfaction and help West Northamptonshire meet the national vision of timely, person-centred support.
✨ ✅ ❌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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West Northamptonshire is putting about £170 million into adult social care in 2024. This equals £39,090 for every 100,000 residents. Councils across England spend about £47,758 for the same-sized group, so West Northamptonshire is roughly £38 million below the level that would match the national rate. Net spending, after income is removed, stands near £148 million, or £34,171 per 100,000 people, again lower than the England mean of £40,472. The gap suggests the council either delivers services at a lower cost, supports fewer people, or offers a narrower range of help.
People who receive care in West Northamptonshire are expected to pay about £21 million in fees during 2024, equal to £4,918 per 100,000 residents. In other areas the figure is nearer £7,286. Lower contributions can arise when users have less income or wealth, or when fewer services are means-tested. It may also mean the council charges less than many peers, which would push more cost back onto its own budget.
The local NHS is forecast to add only £16.5 million, or £3,804 per 100,000 people. Elsewhere in England the average is more than twice that sum. Small health transfers can point to weaker joint planning, limited use of Continuing Healthcare, or simply fewer complex cases that need shared funding. Whatever the cause, the council carries a higher share of the bill than many authorities.
The resident count has grown from 422,168 in 2019 to 434,349 in 2023, a rise of nearly 3 percent. Growth is faster than the England average and will push demand steadily upward. With 309 people per square kilometre the area is less dense than the national mean, so care staff often travel longer distances to reach clients. That usually raises unit costs, yet spending here is still below average. Pressure on front-line teams may therefore be high.
A widening gap between need and resources could start to show in waiting lists, shorter visits, or tighter eligibility rules. Lower NHS input risks poorer integration of health and care, making hospital discharge harder. At the same time, modest client charges limit the scope to bring in extra income. If the local population continues to age or grow, today’s spending level may not keep pace. The council may need to press for fairer national funding or explore new ways to share costs with health partners and service users while protecting people on low incomes.
West Northamptonshire runs adult social care on leaner finances than most of England. The approach may reflect efficiency, but it also poses a risk of unmet need as the population expands. Closer work with the NHS and a clear charging policy could help balance the books without lowering service quality.
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