Skip to main content
KBS_Icon_questionmark link-ico
Women helping older man in garden - Touchstone’s Sikh Elders Service Leeds ;

'Without the social care workforce, we have no care system'

Adult social care is in crisis. Chronic underpayment, physical and emotional pressure and broken business models, compounded by the pandemic and Brexit – has resulted in a recruitment, retention and planning crisis. However, people will join the sector if the employee experience is improved, so creative ideas and initiatives are essential if the workforce is going to grow.

The Healthier Working Lives Workforce Planning briefing paper looks at where the adult social care is now, and where it will go in the future.

It explains:

  • The Health Foundation suggests that over 600,000 additional care workers will be required to meet demand in the UK over the next decade, in addition to the existing 1.5 million posts
  • 74% of providers have reported an increase in staff exits since April 2021, with half of workers leaving due to stress and 44% finding better pay elsewhere
  • Staff turnover is estimated to be 30% and rising, at a time when more and more people need care services
  • In Scotland, 44% of care staff leave their job within one year of starting, and 24% within 2-5 years
  • Even pre-Covid, 57% of staff were expecting to leave within the next decade.

However, 68% would still recommend working in social care - suggesting that staff generally want to stay if issues within the sector could be addressed.

This is the most acute recruitment and retention crisis that we are aware of historically…Without the social care workforce, we have no care system– National Care Forum, 23.09.2021
Healthier Working Lives Workforce Planning briefing paper graph

Healthier Working Lives Workforce Planning briefing paper

Banner image credit: Centre for Ageing Better

Get in touch

Find out more about the Healthier Working Lives for the Care Workforce project and how you can get involved.

Follow our Facebook page, where you can chat with us directly, as well as keep up to date with the latest insights from Care Sector research, and activities from the programme.

If you are an innovator, business leader or entrepreneur working, or seeking to become involved with the care sector, join the Healthier working lives campaign through our registration form or contact dilesh.shah@kcl.ac.uk.

Latest news