The State of Adult Social Care in England: Key Insights from 2024

At Borderless, we aim to provide crucial insights into workforce trends and challenges in the UK. We’ve compiled the key findings from the "State of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England, 2024" report, a comprehensive look at the sector’s performance, growth, and the hurdles ahead. With the sector’s significant role in both the economy and the lives of millions, understanding these trends is vital for shaping the future of adult social care.

1. Growth in Workforce, But Challenges Remain

The adult social care workforce in England has grown to 1.84 million posts in 2023/24, an increase of 2.6% from the previous year. Despite this, the sector faces a high vacancy rate of 8.3%, or 131,000 vacant posts—nearly three times the national average. While international recruitment has helped alleviate some of these challenges, the report emphasizes that it is not a long-term fix. The sector continues to lose British nationals in large numbers, and changes to immigration policy could disrupt future workforce growth.

2. Turnover and Retention Issues

High turnover is another major challenge, with a sector-wide rate of 24.2%. While 57% of these workers move within the industry, 43% leave the sector entirely, requiring ongoing recruitment efforts. Care workers face a particularly high turnover rate of 29.9%, creating disruptions in continuity of care and service delivery. However, employers that focus on building strong organisational cultures, offering training, and involving employees in decision-making processes have seen much lower turnover rates.

3. Impact of International Recruitment

International recruitment has become critical for filling posts, with 185,000 overseas workers joining the sector between 2022 and 2024. These recruits are typically younger, more likely to be male, and less likely to be on zero-hour contracts compared to their domestic counterparts. However, changes in immigration policies in March 2024, including restrictions on bringing dependents, have caused a sharp decline in Health and Care Worker visa approvals, threatening the sustainability of international recruitment.

4. Zero-Hour Contracts and Employment Structure

Around 21% of the adult social care workforce is on zero-hour contracts, down from 25% in 2020/21. This is much more common in domiciliary care, where 43% of care workers are employed on these contracts. While zero-hour contracts provide flexibility for some workers, they contribute to job insecurity and higher turnover. This is an area where employers need to balance flexibility with stability to retain staff.

5. Pay and Economic Contributions

The sector’s economic contribution continues to grow, with a gross value added (GVA) of £68.1 billion in 2023/24. However, low wages remain a sticking point, with care workers earning a median hourly rate of £11.44—barely above the National Living Wage. Competitive pay is essential for improving recruitment and retention, and those employers offering enhanced sick pay and pension schemes see significantly lower turnover rates.

6. Diversity and Workforce Demographics

The report notes gradual improvements in workforce diversity, particularly due to the influx of younger, international workers. However, the workforce remains predominantly female (78%). More needs to be done to balance gender and age diversity within the sector.

7. Workforce Strategy and Future Projections

One of the report’s most positive developments is the launch of the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in July 2024. This strategy aims to address recruitment and retention challenges, improve workforce planning, and make adult social care a more attractive career. Projections suggest that the sector will need to expand significantly to meet growing demand, with the number of people over 85 expected to rise by 44% by 2030.

What This Means for You

For social care providers, the findings of this report offer both challenges and opportunities. Here’s what you can do:

• Review your recruitment strategy: With the vacancy rate still high, it’s crucial to evaluate how you attract talent. International recruitment has helped, but it’s vital to strengthen domestic recruitment as well. Consider using values-based recruitment approaches to attract candidates who align with your organization's mission.
• Invest in retention: High turnover disrupts care quality and is costly for employers. Focus on offering career development, continuous training, and a supportive work environment. Providing competitive pay and benefits, such as enhanced sick pay and pension schemes, can make your organisation more appealing and reduce turnover.
• Adapt to changes in immigration policy: With visa restrictions tightening, international recruitment is becoming more complex. Stay up to date with immigration rules and work closely with agencies to ensure compliance while exploring other talent pools, such as apprenticeships and training schemes for domestic workers.
• Balance flexibility with security: Zero-hour contracts remain prevalent, particularly in domiciliary care, but they are linked to higher turnover. Offering more permanent and secure contracts where possible can improve job satisfaction and employee retention.
• Leverage the Workforce Strategy: The newly launched Workforce Strategy is a critical tool for shaping the future of social care. Engage with government programs and funding initiatives designed to improve workforce planning and support your long-term recruitment and retention goals.

By taking these steps, social care organisations can better navigate the current challenges and position themselves to meet the increasing demand for adult social care in England.

How Borderless can help

‍At Borderless, we specialize in helping organisations in the adult social care sector address their workforce challenges. Whether you need support with recruitment, retention strategies, or navigating immigration policies, we’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist your organisation in building a skilled, compliant, and resilient workforce. Together, we can ensure that your organisation is ready to meet the growing demands of adult social care in the years to come.

About Borderless

‍Borderless is committed to helping organisations navigate the complexities of workforce management in the UK’s adult social care sector. As a provider of strategic insights and services, we assist employers in building and maintaining a skilled, compliant workforce that can meet the evolving needs of the sector. By staying ahead of workforce trends, we help ensure that businesses are prepared to tackle both current and future challenges.