Care England is urging the government to take urgent action after its latest report shows vacancies in the adult social care sector remain high.
The representative body for independent adult social care providers has warned that pressures in the sector are unsustainable and that the workforce is “stretched beyond its limits”.
According to its Skills for Care’s State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England 2024 report, the number of filled posts has risen by 4.2% to 1.7 million in 2023/24. But while there are fewer vacancies they still equate to 8.3% of the workforce – a rate almost three times greater than in the economy overall.
Although vacancies have dropped from 153,00 to 131,000, Care England believes the high rate is exacerbating existing pressure on frontline staff, who are often having to cope with excessive workloads.
Social care recruitment
Steep visa fall to trigger ‘skills catastrophe’ for health and social care
The body highlights that recruitment challenges have led to a greater reliance on agency workers which, in turn, increases costs as destabilises the provision of care.
These “structural issues” are made worse due to “a lack of long-term government strategy, leaving providers in a precarious position”, it insists.
Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England, said: “This is not just a recruitment challenge – it’s a systemic failure to build a workforce that can meet the current and future demands of social care. Without immediate intervention, we will continue to see a workforce stretched beyond its limits, which will directly impact the quality of care provided to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”
The report also shows that the rise in filled posts has heavily relied on international recruitment, which is now being hindered by changes in immigration policies which prevent overseas workers bringing dependents to the UK.
It found Health and Care Worker visas applications plunged by 81% from April to June 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, as well as a fall in international recruits to just 8,000 – almost 70% lower than the average from the same quarter the previous year.
British workers have also been leaving the sector, which Care England says is because of low wages, poor working conditions, and a perceived lack of career progression. It warns that the combination of reduced international recruitment and an exodus of domestic workers “leaves the sector in a precarious state”.
Professor Martin Green continued: “We are facing a perfect storm. Domestic recruitment has collapsed, and the government’s immigration policy has choked off the international recruitment pipeline, which has been vital in propping up the sector. We cannot sustain this practice.
Without a meaningful strategy to improve pay and conditions to attract domestic workers, coupled with a pragmatic approach to immigration, we will be unable to meet the ever-growing demand for care. The government must address this before the situation becomes untenable.”
In response to the report’s findings, Care England wants the government to reevaluate immigration policies to support international recruitment and provide funding to align pay, working conditions, and recruitment benefits of social care workers with those of NHS staff.
It also proposes the government consolidates intended reforms for adult social care within a fully funded, long-term workforce plan.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
HR opportunities in Healthcare on Personnel Today
Browse more HR opportunities in healthcare
