Hft, the learning disability charity, and Care England, the largest and most diverse representative body for independent providers of adult social care in England, have today launched the survey for Sector Pulse Check 2024, their annual report analysing the financial health and workforce challenges faced by the adult social care sector.
The report, now in its 9th year, provides an annual snapshot of the adult social care sector, helping to monitor trends and providing vital data to illustrate ongoing challenges. This year the survey also looks at what the care sector expects of the new Labour government.
Top line figures emerging from the 2023 report – which was referenced in numerous Parliamentary and House of Lords debates and cited in over 200 media articles – included:
- Energy cost increases of up to 350% and unfunded rises in the National Living Wage left 40% of adult social care providers in deficit in 2023.
- 84% of care providers said that funding initiatives from the previous government – such as the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund and International Recruitment Fund – made no difference to the financial sustainability of their organisation over the past year.
- 43% of providers closed services or handed back contracts.
- 18% of providers offered care to fewer people.
- 39% of providers considered exiting the market altogether.
Hft and Care England are calling on all adult social care providers to share their experiences to ensure the true state of the sector can be represented to the government and key decision makers. In addition to the regular focus on financial health and workforce challenges, this year the survey also asks sector leaders for their thoughts on new Labour Government initiatives.
With the final report due for release in January 2025, Sector Pulse Check will again be a landmark publication for the adult social care sector. It constitutes a valuable evidence base to support conversations with key stakeholders about the creation of a truly sustainable and thriving social care sector, which can support learning disabled adults, people with enduring mental health support needs and older people to live the life they choose.
More information on Sector Pulse Check 2024, including a link to the survey for providers of adult social care, can be found here.
Steve Veevers, Chief Executive Officer of Hft, said:
“The annual survey for the Sector Pulse Check report couldn’t come at a more pertinent time for the adult social care sector which is faced with persisting financial and workforce challenges.
“There wasn’t a great deal of mention of social care in the Labour manifesto prior to the election. This means we, as a sector which is providing care day in and day out, need to work with leaders of the newly formed Department of Health and Social Care, as well as local commissioning bodies, to make sure they understand the scale of the problem and the quick wins and long-term solutions. We need to help them understand the structural issues we are facing and the results from the survey will underpin the sector’s asks.
“Through our joint report with Care England, we aim to bring the government face to face with the reality experienced by providers in order to illustrate the true scale and impact of 14 years of systemic underfunding and kicking the can of social care reform, truly has had on providers.
“We hoped the new government would give us a chance to push social care up the agenda. As this hasn’t happened yet, we urge all providers now more than ever to make the most of this opportunity to take part in the survey and join us in calling for the change our sector, those who work in it and draw upon it, so desperately needs.”
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive at Care England, said:
“The new government has already broken its promise on social care reform. So now it has never been more vital for a government to have a clear view of what is happening in social care and the impact of their policies both in the present day, and for the future of our sector.
“As ever, financial and workforce challenges remain a top priority within the sector. In addition to renewing our focus on these important topics, this year’s survey is also exploring new themes that have become increasingly pertinent over the past 12 months, such as impacts of the ban on dependants of social care workers, and the high increases in the National Living Wage. This year’s report will further help us understand provider’s perspectives on new Labour Government reforms, notably the creation of a National Care Service and a Fair Pay Agreement.
“Sector Pulse Check is our opportunity to evidence the necessity for meaningful change and I urge care providers to have their say by taking part in the survey. With the opportunity to influence a new Government, the importance of illustrating these through meaningful and reliable data cannot be overstated. Providers: this is your chance to be part of the change you want to see for our sector.”
