Vacancy rates in social care are back to pre-Covid levels, according to a report from Skills for Care.
The figures, based on data from the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set, suggested that vacancy rates for 2024/25 fell to 7%, which is similar to levels before 2021/22, when the rate peaked at 10.5%.
The total number of vacant posts was 111,000, a 12.4% decrease on the previous year.
The total number of posts in adult social care increased by 2.2%, while the number of filled posts grew by 52,000 (3.4%) over the year which, although was smaller than the previous year, was the second highest increase on record, according to Skills for Care.
However, it added that the sector still faces long term recruitment and retention challenges and will need around 470,000 new posts by 2040 to keep up with projected growth in the population over the age of 65.
Oonagh Smyth, chief executive of Skills for Care, said: ‘It’s encouraging to see the sector continuing to grow and the vacancy rate falling back to pre-Covid levels. But we can’t afford to be complacent as some of this will be down to the fall in vacancies in the wider economy, which we know always benefits our sector.
‘We need to protect ourselves from the wild swings in vacancy rates driven by the wider economic picture.
‘It’s important to recognise that, while the vacancy rate in social care has reduced, it’s still three times that of the wider economy. And the data show that we’ll still need 470,000 more posts by 2040, so all of us in adult social care need to stay focused on workforce issues.
‘We know there’s lots more to do, though. Everyone – from Government to care providers, from regulators to frontline staff – has a role to play in building the workforce we need to deliver the best possible care and support for the people in our communities who draw on local services.’
Responding to the report, Simon Bottery, senior fellow at The King’s Fund said: ‘The latest Skills for Care workforce report reveals a fundamental weakness of the social care system in England – its inability to recruit enough British staff.
‘The fall in the vacancy rate outlined in today’s report is entirely thanks to overseas staff taking up social care roles – the number of British staff in fact fell by 30,000 in 2024/25 and by 85,000 since 2021/22.
‘Pay is a critical factor in attracting people so it is welcome that the government plans a fair pay agreement for the sector. This should boost domestic recruitment. However social care providers remain in the dark about the amount of money that has been allocated to fund it – the figure was not included in the recent Spending Review. The government should make this public as soon as possible so that the sector can understand how much of an impact it is likely to have.’
A report earlier this year revealed that fewer patients can access social care due to staffing costs.
