This page provides an overview of social care in Windsor and Maidenhead, along with key metrics that could affect social care. Understanding these metrics is important because they help contextualise the challenges with social care provision in each local authority. These statistics are important to keep in mind when reviewing the other pages.
Why are these metrics important? Population size and density can affect the demand for social care services. For example, if a local authority has a high population (relative to other areas), it may need to allocate more resources to meet care needs. Similarly, areas with high population density may require more care services due to the increased number of people living in close proximity. Inversely, areas with a low population density may have fewer care needs, but residents may face challenges accessing services due to the distance between them. Lastly, people in rural areas might live further away from services, which can impact their ability to access care, or make it more expensive to provide.
Understanding these metrics can help local authorities plan and allocate resources effectively.
Deprivation decile is a measure of the level of deprivation in a local authority. It is calculated by ranking areas in England from 1 (most deprived) to 10 (least deprived) based on factors such as income, employment, education, and health. A higher decile indicates lower levels of deprivation, while a lower decile suggests higher levels of deprivation. Understanding deprivation levels can help local authorities identify areas that may require additional support and resources to address social care needs.
IMD 2019 for the Lower Tier Local Authorities: Windsor and Maidenhead
Deprivation rank is a measure of the relative deprivation of a local authority compared to other areas in England. It is calculated by ranking areas from 1 (most deprived) to 32,844 (least deprived) Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOA), which can be thought of as “small areas”. This rank is based on factors such as income, employment, education, and health. A lower rank indicates higher levels of deprivation, while a higher rank suggests lower levels of deprivation. Understanding deprivation ranks can help local authorities identify areas that may require additional support and resources to address social care needs.
IMD 2019 for the Lower Tier Local Authorities: Windsor and Maidenhead
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 Windsor and Maidenhead. Understanding the types of care available can help local authorities identify areas where additional support and resources may be needed. For example, a high number of people receiving personal care may indicate a need for more support with daily living activities, while a high number of people receiving respite care may suggest a need for additional support for carers.
ASCFR and SALT Data Tables 2023-24 Sheet T34
The age-standardised rate of disabled people is 12.4 per cent, far below the national benchmark of 17.6 per cent. Windsor and Maidenhead is relatively affluent (mean deprivation decile 8.5) and its working-age population tends to be healthy and economically active, so fewer residents report limiting conditions. A lower share of disability is also consistent with the area’s high employment levels and the likelihood that many older residents move out once their needs rise.
Only 670 working-age adults asked the council for care in 2024, equal to 432 requests per 100,000 people. The England average is 1,143 per 100,000, almost three times higher. Two factors help explain this gap. First, fewer residents have severe disability, so underlying need is smaller. Second, local incomes are high, therefore some people may arrange and pay for support privately, bypassing council routes and keeping recorded demand low.
In the same year 450 adults aged 18–64 received ongoing support funded or organised by the council, giving a rate of 290 per 100,000 against a national figure of 533. Nursing and residential placements are both slightly below average, which matches the overall picture of lower need. The interesting difference lies in community services. Only 39 per 100,000 people use a direct payment, and 10 per 100,000 a part-direct payment, both well below national norms. By contrast 113 per 100,000 rely on council-commissioned community support, twice the national rate of 58. This suggests that residents who do turn to the council prefer the authority to arrange care on their behalf rather than manage a personal budget. Confidence in council procurement, limited interest in handling payroll or legal duties, or simply a wish to receive ready-made packages may all contribute.
Enquiries linked to charging for services stand at 7.1 per 100,000, above the England average of 5.7. Questions about mental capacity are also higher than usual. These patterns fit the socio-economic profile. Where more people own significant assets, the financial assessment process is often complex, and families seek guidance on how fees interact with property or savings. Higher mental capacity enquiries may reflect the same group navigating power-of-attorney and best-interest decisions.
Requests concerning assessments, safeguarding and information are broadly in line with national levels, indicating that core statutory duties are visible to the public.
Overall activity is modest, yet the borough still supports a meaningful cohort of disabled adults. With population numbers edging up from 153,893 in 2019 to 155,239 in 2023, even small percentage increases in disability could enlarge caseloads. The low uptake of personal budgets points to a need for clearer information, training and peer support if the council wishes to widen choice and control.
The high use of council-commissioned community care means provider capacity must be maintained. Close links with the independent market are vital, because many residents purchase care privately; pressures on that market can spill over onto statutory services. Finally, sustained advice on charging and mental-capacity law will help residents manage their own resources and may delay entry into more intensive care pathways.
Windsor and Maidenhead’s low disability rate and strong economy keep recorded demand for adult social care below national norms. However, the people who do approach the council often need detailed financial and legal guidance and prefer the council to organise their support. Planning should therefore balance modest volumes with the expectation of personalised, legally sound and financially complex interventions.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Older citizens make up a growing share of the borough. In 2019 around 18.2 per cent of residents were aged 65 plus; by 2023 the share had risen steadily to 18.9 per cent. Nationally the proportion moved from 18.4 to 18.5 per cent over the same period, so the local rate, once a little below the England mean, now sits slightly higher. The change is taking place against a stable total population of about 155,000 people. Windsor and Maidenhead is comparatively affluent, with an average Index of Multiple Deprivation decile of 8.5, and only one fifth of its land is classed as rural. These factors shape both demand for support and the way people use adult social care.
In 2024 the council received 2,730 requests for care from residents aged 65 plus. That is 1,759 requests per 100,000 older people, well below the England average of 2,438 per 100,000. Lower demand can reflect better health, stronger family networks, or a higher proportion of self-funders who do not approach the council. The relatively high income levels in the borough make all three explanations plausible.
Despite the lower number of requests, 1,130 older residents were in long-term care packages during 2024. This equates to 728 service users per 100,000 older people, again below the national figure of 1,003 per 100,000. The gap suggests that more people either meet their own needs or are found not to be eligible after assessment. It may also indicate effective preventative work that helps residents to stay independent for longer.
The mix of services differs from the national picture. Nursing home use is higher than average, at 148 per 100,000 versus 122 nationally. Residential care, by contrast, is used much less (103 versus 250 per 100,000). Within community services there is a notable reliance on council-commissioned support only (370 per 100,000, almost triple the England mean), while take-up of personal budgets and direct payments is markedly lower. This pattern could point to two local characteristics: first, strong commissioning links with community providers that give residents confidence to accept directly arranged support; second, a resident base that is less motivated to manage their own care budget, perhaps because private assets reduce the perceived benefit of direct payments.
Looking ahead to 2025, small but meaningful numbers of older people are already asking for help with assessments, charging queries and safeguarding. The rate of requests about care plans and mental capacity is also above the England mean. These early signals hint at a cohort that is well informed and willing to challenge decisions, a likely consequence of higher educational levels and financial literacy in the area.
The gradual ageing of Windsor and Maidenhead will keep upward pressure on demand, even from a relatively healthy and prosperous base. The council may wish to monitor whether the low use of personal budgets reflects choice or a barrier in practice, and whether the high share of nursing placements signals rising complexity that community services cannot meet. Given the current lower overall demand, investing in preventive, neighbourhood-based support could delay or avoid expensive institutional care, sustaining both independence for residents and affordability for the authority.
✨ ✅ ❌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
The borough had about 10,800 unpaid carers in 2021. This equals 7,000 carers for every 100,000 residents, below the England rate of 8,200 per 100,000. Windsor and Maidenhead is small (154,000 people) and is one of the least deprived areas in the country. Many residents have higher incomes and can pay for formal care, so fewer people may need to give unpaid help. The area is also more urban than many shire districts but still less dense than large cities, which may limit how many neighbours or family members live close enough to provide regular care.
Forty per cent of local carers say they have as much social contact as they want, far above the national figure of 29 per cent. The affluence of the borough may give people the money, transport and digital skills needed to keep in touch with friends or support groups. The small size of the caring population may let services focus on building local networks, making it easier for carers to meet each other.
Only 40 per cent of carers think it is easy to find information about help, compared with 59 per cent in England. This gap matters. When people do not know where to look, they may miss out on benefits, breaks or training that keep them healthy. The data also show only 6 support contacts per 100,000 people that are classed as “information, advice or signposting”, far below the national rate of 339 per 100,000. The council appears to give little resource to this type of universal offer.
The authority gives more personal budgets than most. Direct payments for carers run at 213 per 100,000 residents and council-managed personal budgets at 174 per 100,000, both well above England averages (150 and 66). At the same time there is no recorded “commissioned support only” and no “no direct support” cases. This suggests the council prefers to channel help through flexible, individual budgets rather than through block-purchased services. Personal budgets suit an affluent, confident population that can organise its own care, but they rely on carers knowing what to buy. The low score on information hints that some carers may struggle with this task.
Respite given to the person cared for is only 6 per 100,000, versus 70 nationally. Low use could mean carers cope well without breaks, perhaps because they employ private help. It could also hide unmet need if people are unaware of what respite is available.
Only one safeguarding episode (0.6 per 100,000) was recorded for carers in 2025, close to the national rate of 0.75. The very small number makes it hard to judge trends but does not raise an immediate concern.
Windsor and Maidenhead’s carers are fewer in number and generally report good social contact. The council’s emphasis on personal budgets fits a well-resourced area, yet the weak offer on information and advice risks leaving less confident carers behind. Strengthening outreach and simple guidance could raise the “easy to find information” score and make sure every carer gains from the support already on offer.
✨ ✅ ❌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
Windsor and Maidenhead has a population of about 155,000, less than half the average local authority in England. In this context it supports 19 community-based adult social care services and 36 residential homes. Normalised for population, this works out at roughly 12 community services and 23 residential homes per 100,000 residents, compared with national reference points of around 17 and 24. The borough therefore offers a slightly leaner provider network, particularly for community support. A smaller market can make choice and specialist matching harder, especially for people whose needs can be met at home.
Only 15.8% of inspected services are rated “requires improvement” or “inadequate”, a touch below the England figure of 16.8%. This suggests regulation is being met well and that the slimmer market is not compromising core quality. High average affluence may help: providers draw on a client base able to pay privately, which can boost income for staff training and building upkeep.
The headline turnover rate sits at 26.7% nationally and 26.6% across the South East; Windsor and Maidenhead align with this regional picture. Vacancies, however, are only 5.1% against a national 8.4%, indicating that posts are usually filled. Yet 82.9% of local providers report that recruiting staff is now “more” or “much more” challenging, and 72.4% say the same about retention, both a few points higher than the England averages. The apparent contradiction—low vacancy but high perceived difficulty—may reflect the competitive local labour market. The borough’s high deprivation decile (8.5) and strong private sector wages mean social care employers must work harder to attract people in the first place, even though they succeed in filling most jobs in the end.
Slightly fewer community services per head, coupled with stable residential capacity, hints that people may enter care homes earlier than elsewhere, or travel outside the borough for domiciliary support. With a population density of 781 people per km²—low by South East standards—travel time between clients can raise costs for home-care agencies, perhaps discouraging market growth.
Quality ratings are positive, but sustaining them will depend on workforce supply. Recruitment pressure is likely to intensify if demand rises, for example through population ageing or policy shifts favouring care at home. Strategies such as local careers promotion, subsidised transport, and shared training with neighbouring councils could help stabilise the labour pool.
Windsor and Maidenhead delivers care that is broadly in line with national quality and staffing benchmarks, despite a smaller and slightly narrower market. The main risks lie in future workforce availability and the limited range of community provision. Targeted support for domiciliary providers and continued attention to pay, progression, and cost-of-living factors are key to maintaining a balanced, person-centred care system.
✨ ✅ ❌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.
The borough releases 98.4 per cent of patients from Care Quality Commission-rated “acceptable” trusts, well above the England mean of 89 per cent. Only 11.7 per cent of discharges are delayed, slightly below the national 12.3 per cent, and the typical delay is 0.49 days against an England average of 0.7 days. A compact geography, good road links and strong joint planning seem to help staff arrange community support quickly. The borough’s small population (about 155,000) and high affluence may also reduce the demand pressures that often slow discharges elsewhere.
Just 61.4 per cent of adult social care users say they are satisfied with the help they receive, three points under the national figure of 64.7 per cent. A separate NatCen study notes a 57 per cent dissatisfaction rate, hinting that many residents feel care could be better. Windsor and Maidenhead sits in the eighth deprivation decile, far less deprived than most councils. More prosperous residents often expect highly personalised services; when care feels routine or inflexible, dissatisfaction rises even if basic delivery is sound.
Information, however, is relatively easy to obtain: 71.9 per cent of users report that finding guidance on services is simple, compared with 68.2 per cent nationally. Clear signposting may explain the smooth hospital discharge process, as both staff and families know whom to contact and what support is available.
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman received 7.73 complaints per 100,000 residents, versus an England average of 4.45. About 4.51 cases per 100,000 were decided, only slightly above the national 4.12. In absolute terms this is roughly twelve complaints received and seven decided in 2024. A higher complaint rate in an affluent area may reflect greater confidence in formal redress rather than poorer practice. It also aligns with the good score on access to information: people know how to complain and feel empowered to do so.
Windsor and Maidenhead is less than half the size of the average English local authority yet has a population density of 781 residents per square kilometre—lower than the England mean of 2,468. The borough’s relative affluence and modest rural share (18 per cent) remove some logistical barriers to care but raise the bar on quality. Operational indicators, especially around discharge, are strong; the challenge now lies in improving residents’ lived experience and reducing the need to escalate concerns.
To narrow the gap between performance and perception, the council could invest in staff communication skills, involve service users in planning and publish clearer standards on what support people can expect. Analysing complaint themes and acting quickly on emerging issues will help build trust. Given current strengths and the resources of a generally prosperous community, Windsor and Maidenhead is well placed to move from good to excellent in the next CQC local authority assessment.
✨ ✅ ❌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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Windsor and Maidenhead spent about £39,649 for every 100,000 residents on adult social care. With a mid-2023 population of roughly 155,000, this equals close to £61.6 million in cash terms. The national average is £47,758 per 100,000, or around 17 percent higher. Lower spending here is not automatically negative. The borough is one of the least deprived areas in England (average deprivation decile 8.5 compared with the England mean of 5.9). Many older people have savings or property, so more of them may pay for their own care. In such places councils often support fewer people, keeping gross costs down.
Net expenditure, after income is removed, is £33,014 per 100,000, or about £51.3 million. This is again below the England figure of £40,472 per 100,000. The gap between gross and net spending is a little smaller than the national gap, suggesting the council relies slightly more on outside income than most authorities.
Residents contribute £6,636 per 100,000, a touch below the national £7,286. In cash terms that is about £10.3 million. Because overall spending is low, these contributions cover 16.7 percent of gross cost, a little above the national 15.2 percent. This fits the picture of a wealthier area where more people can afford fees.
NHS money is much lower than average: £4,052 per 100,000 (£6.3 million) against £7,878 nationally. Only one pound in ten of local social care funds comes from the health service, compared with one in six across England. Limited pooled budgets may leave gaps at the health-care boundary, for example for hospital discharge support or joint rehabilitation teams.
The population has grown slowly, adding fewer than 1,500 people since 2019. Density is 781 residents per square kilometre, far below the England mean of 2,469, yet the borough is still more urban than rural (18 percent of land classed as rural). Workers may spend more time travelling between clients, raising unit costs even when total spending is modest. Low deprivation can mask small pockets of need; the variation in deprivation ranks inside the borough is wide (standard deviation 1.97). People in these pockets may find it hard to meet charges that are set with wealthier households in mind.
Lower gross spending could reflect efficient practice, genuine lower need, or unmet demand. The small share of NHS funding hints at less integrated care, which can hinder preventive work. Higher reliance on client fees may be sustainable while the local economy stays strong, but it risks widening inequality if costs rise faster than incomes.
Population ageing will continue, even if total numbers grow slowly. Without extra NHS partnership money, the council may have to choose between raising council tax, tightening eligibility, or asking residents to pay still more. Monitoring waiting lists, carer stress, and delayed discharges will help judge whether current spending levels remain safe.
The borough starts from a position of relative affluence, yet its spending is noticeably below the national norm. It receives limited health service support and asks clients to meet a slightly bigger share of costs. For now this balance appears to hold, but rising care prices and wage pressures could expose weaknesses. A stronger joint plan with the NHS and regular checks on hidden need would guard against future shortfalls.
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