Last Updated on November 21, 2025

Skills for Care has published its annual State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England report. The report highlights that the adult social care sector in England continued to grow in 2024/25, contributing £77.8bn to the economy. However, the report also cites ongoing challenges in domestic recruitment and workforce sustainability.

The report shows that the total number of posts in adult social care increased by 2.2% on the previous year. As well as providing a public service, the sector’s economic contribution increased by 12.2% to reach £77.8bn. This increase in economic contribution is largely driven by more filled posts in social care and an increase in the National Living Wage, resulting in an increase in average pay.

Vacancy rates have also returned to pre-COVID levels at 7% (as reported in Skills for Care's Size and structure of the adult social care sector and workforce report) and the proportion of men in the workforce reached a new record for the third successive year – now at 22%. While improvements in workforce capacity continue to be supported by international recruitment, the number of new international recruits fell from 105,000 in 2023/24 to 50,000 in 2024/25. Over the same period, the number of workers with British nationality declined by 30,000 (a 2.6% decrease).

For the first time, the report includes figures on employer sick pay and pension contributions which show that 62% of care providing establishments using the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) do not offer enhanced sick pay and 57% do not offer enhanced employer pension contributions (more than 3%). The proportion of care and support workers with a Level 2 qualification has fallen to 38% – down from 41% in 2023/24 and 48% in 2018/19.

As part of the report, Skills for Care analyses 'Five factors affecting turnover':

• Pay up to 30% below the local authority average.
• Not being on a zero-hours contract.
• Receiving training.
• Having a qualification relevant to social care.
• Working full-time.

The latest findings show a contrast in turnover rates – people with none of these factors in place are almost three times more likely to leave their jobs compared to people with all five factors (42.2% vs 14.4%).

Other key findings from the report include:

• The vacancy rate for 2024/25 fell to 7%. This was a return to similar levels seen prior to 2021/22, when the rate had peaked at 10.5%. 
• The total number of vacant posts in 2024/25 was 111,000, which is a 12.4% decrease on the previous year.
• The number of filled posts grew by 3.4% to 1.6 million. This growth was smaller than the previous year, but still the second highest increase on record.
• The turnover rate in the independent sector decreased from 25.8% in 2023/24, to 24.7% in 2024/25.
• The total number of posts in adult social care in England – comprising filled and vacant posts – was 1.71 million in 2024/25.
  The sector still faces long-term recruitment and retention challenges as it is projected to need around 470,000 new posts – an increase of 27% – by 2040 to keep up with the projected growth in the population over the age of 65.

Commenting on the publication of the latest annual 'State of' workforce report, Professor Oonagh Smyth, Chief Executive Officer at Skills for Care, said, 'Our latest report highlights the complex nature of the social care sector today, with encouraging signs of progress for our workforce, alongside challenges that still need to be addressed.

'It's positive to see our workforce growing, and vacancy and turnover rates continuing to fall. However, much of this improvement is being driven by international recruitment and, as both domestic and international recruitment are slowing, we need to explore new pathways to build sustainable workforce capacity. At the same time, falling qualification levels – when care roles are becoming more complex – suggest that capability, as well as capacity, is likely to be a challenge in the future. We have to ensure that people have the skills, values and confidence to do these essential roles in social care.

'To meet growing and changing care needs, we must prioritise domestic recruitment and invest in learning and development for our workforce. That's why initiatives such as the Workforce Strategy that we published last year, and steps towards a Fair Pay Agreement and a National Care Service are so important. They are vital to building a thriving, skilled workforce that plays a central role in neighbourhood health – and ultimately supports people to live a good, independent life in a place they can call home.

Skills for Care will continue to work with partners across the sector to support workforce development in practice and ensure the insights from this report inform future planning and policy.

Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor, Chair of the Local Government Association's Health and Wellbeing Committee, said, 'The care workforce plays a fundamental and invaluable role in supporting people who draw on social care to live the independent lives they want to lead. Growth in the care workforce is a positive reflection of recent progress in improving capacity, stability and quality in the sector. However, urgent action is still needed to tackle long-standing serious recruitment and retention challenges, particularly around fair pay, access to training and employment rights for all care workers.

'The Government's ambition to deliver a Fair Pay Agreement for adult social care workers will be the cornerstone of this, but its success hinges on its costs being fully funded. We need a financially sustainable care system that is rooted in prevention and personalised care, and one that delivers for both workers and those who draw on care and support, now and for years to come.'

Professor Vic Rayner OBE, Chief Executive Officer at the National Care Forum (NCF), said, 'Skills for Care's [...] report highlights both the progress and persistent challenges facing the social care sector. It is encouraging to see workforce growth, falling vacancy rates, and reduced turnover; all of which deserve celebration. Yet the report also underlines the fragility of our care system; a system still struggling to recruit and retain the sustainable domestic workforce needed to meet the current and future demands of an ageing population.

'Much of the recent improvement has been driven by international recruitment, over this last year with 50,000 new international recruits joined our workforce. However, with tighter immigration restrictions now in place, the sector faces a stark reality – vacancy rates remain three times higher than the wider economy, tens of thousands of British workers leaving the sector each year, and demand only set to rise. Without urgent action to build capacity at home, the progress we see in this report risks being short‑lived.

'One of the clearest ways forward is to improve pay, terms and conditions for our dedicated workforce. The report shows that experienced care workers earn barely more than new care workers; this is unsustainable. The Government’s Fair Pay Agreement offers a vital opportunity to invest in the workforce, but it must be backed by long‑term funding, robust infrastructure and immediate interim measures.

'The Government must work with the sector to deliver a sustainable workforce plan, that ensures we have the right people, with the right skills, in place for the future. The measures contained within the workforce strategy collectively created by a range of social care organisations, including Skills for Care, are a starting point the Government can build upon.

'We need new future-focussed approaches that embrace the role of technology, that pay attention to the changing nature of care and support work, expertise of our care and support workforce and ultimately, what people need and want to live full and independent lives. The Chancellor's Autumn Budget provides another opportunity to bring forward the resources to drive this work forward now, rather than waiting until a Fair Pay Agreement is in place.'

Kathryn Marsden OBE, Chief Executive at the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), said, 'Despite some good news about the care workforce in this report, we shouldn't be complacent. The workforce has grown for the third consecutive year, and average vacancy and turnover rates have continued to fall. However, a detailed look at the underlying workforce pressures suggests breathing easy would be premature. A relentless focus on improving care workers' pay, working conditions and career opportunities remains critical to stabilising the social care system.

'One driver of the workforce trends is international recruitment, but we cannot rely on international workers for the long term. As the report describes, the domestic workforce is still shrinking, and routes for international recruitment are being sealed off, reducing the pool of people available to work in the sector. Renewed attention to recruiting a home-grown workforce is urgently needed.

'Of great concern is that workers' pay has not kept pace with increasing experience. The report highlights that care workers with five or more years of experience are only earning 7p more per hour than new starters. A recognised career path that recognises workers' experience with better pay is sorely needed.

'Equally as concerning is the decline in workforce qualification levels, which raises questions about the sector's capability for meeting the people's social care needs. Increasingly, care workers require skills for delegated health tasks and caring for people with complex conditions. Investing in training and skills development must remain a top priority for all care employers, along with a pay structure that rewards increasing skills.

'We know that pay is a principal driver of reducing turnover and improving recruitment. The Fair Pay Agreement, due to be introduced under the Employment Rights Bill, is a welcome step towards recognising care as a skilled profession. That said, the £500m announced in September to fund the Fair Pay Agreement translates to an estimated average increase of just 20p per hour, according to think tanks. This will not scratch the surface of being able to bring care worker pay in line with equivalent roles in the NHS, nor address the pay disparity in the sector.

'As the Fair Pay Agreement enters into its consultation phase and the Casey Commission begins to build in momentum, the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care, led by Skills for Care, should be seen as a guidebook for action. Delivering solutions for our workforce is not something we can continue to stray from; with 470,000 new posts needed by 2040, we need bold, funded solutions that will secure the future sustainability of the sector.

'The workforce is our sector's beating heart. Every day, those working in care go above and beyond to provide the support that transforms lives, enabling people to live with greater independence, dignity and purpose. Their work sustains families and communities, eases pressure on our other public services and, as this report evidences, contributes £77.8bn each year to the wider economy – more than the accommodation and food service industry.'

Karolina Gerlich, Chief Executive Officer at the Care Workers' Charity, said, 'This report confirms what we already know; that social care stands on the dedication of its workforce, yet too many care workers still lack the pay, protections and recognition they deserve. Falling vacancies are a positive sign, but they mask deeper fragility. The workforce's growth continues to rely on international recruitment, while domestic recruitment and retention remain under strain.

'Migrant care workers make an invaluable contribution and deserve fair treatment, clear routes to settlement and protection from exploitation. We urgently need investment in training, fair pay and wellbeing support to build a sustainable future for care. Every data point in this report represents a person; a care worker balancing compassion with exhaustion. They deserve more than survival; they deserve respect, security and opportunity.'

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive at Care England, said, 'This report tells the story of a sector that is holding the line, but only just. The international recruits who helped plug the gaps are no longer arriving in the same numbers, and we're losing too many home-grown staff. With fewer people coming in, more leaving and the domestic workforce shrinking, pressure is mounting. The storm clouds are already gathering, and unless action is taken now, providers will once again be forced to rely on costly agency cover; and the impending wave of pressure will bring with it greater instability and, ultimately, less consistency for the people we support.

'These figures show how even small pay rises can tip a sector already on a knife-edge. Providers want to pay their staff fairly, they know how hard they work and how much they give, but they can't do it without proper support. Every increase brings huge financial strain for services already stretched to their limits. Unless the Government sets out a clear plan to meet these rising costs, providers will be pushed into making impossible choices, and the fragile stability we've worked so hard to rebuild will start to fall away.

'Social care is part of so many people's lives; it's the quiet force that helps families stay together, supports loved ones through difficult times and gives people the dignity and independence they deserve. Yet too often, it's only when the system begins to struggle that it's noticed. We can't keep waiting for crisis to drive change. Social care deserves to be nurtured, planned for and valued as the foundation of a compassionate and successful society. It's time for Government to give this sector the attention, respect and long-term commitment it has always deserved.'

Ewan King, Chair at the Care Provider Alliance (CPA), said, 'As usual, Skills for Care's annual State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England gives us deep insights, and contains a wealth of valuable information about the state of the social care workforce and the wider sector. It is good to see, once again, Skills for Care draws out analysis on the enormous economic contribution social care makes to the economy, something that often seems to be overlooked by policy makers – £77.8bn. Investment in social care not only supports more people to live the best lives that they can, but it is also good for the economy and wider society too.

'It is also welcome to see that the number of posts has grown, vacancy rates have returned to pre-COVID levels and the proportion of men in the workforce reached a new record for the third successive year – now at 22%. However, with pay and conditions not being as favourable as other sectors, the sector is failing to attract, and indeed retain, domestic recruitment; the sector still has more vacancy rates and a higher turnover compared to other industries.

'As the report reveals, international recruitment – which has now been curtailed – still very much underpins much of the growth. If the sector is to be attractive to domestic carers, it is vital pay and conditions are improved, and to do this, we need appropriate funding. As many reports show, the need for care is going to increase, and there is much that will need to improve if we to build a sustainable social care workforce to care for those who need it, and indeed deserve it, in our society in the future.'

Nadra Ahmed CBE, Executive Co-Chair at the National Care Association (NCA), said, ‘The Skills for Care annual report is always eagerly awaited, and we are hugely grateful to them for the way in which they collate and disseminate the critical information which highlights the incredible work that goes into the daily delivery of care and support for those who need it. 

'The recognition of the contribution our sector makes to the economy continues to increase at a time when funding remains a substantial challenge. It is important to consider this report to look at the trends and the impact on those who are unable to access the care they need due to the increased turnover and vacancies which remain an area of concern.’

To read the latest State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England report, visit the Skills for Care website.

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