The Homecare Association welcomes the latest report from Skills for Care on the size and structure of the adult social care workforce in England. The report highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in the domiciliary care sector.
We feel encouraged by the 7.9% increase in filled posts within domiciliary care services, which represents an additional 43,000 workers. This growth is vital as we strive to meet the increasing demand for care at home. The slight decrease in the vacancy rate from 12.9% to 11.9% is also a positive step, though it remains four times higher than the average for the labour force in the UK.
The growth in the workforce is, however, due entirely to international recruitment. The UK workforce continues to shrink. Immigration rules changed under the previous government, leading to a large decrease in visa applications. This is a serious concern and we worry about meeting demand for homecare in the future.
Dr Jane Townson, CEO of the Homecare Association, comments:
“We're happy to see the homecare workforce growing, but the high vacancy rate shows how hard it is to find and retain care workers. International recruitment has been helpful in filling gaps but we must focus on attracting UK talent.
Recent changes to immigration rules for care workers are concerning, as they are affecting our ability to hire workers from overseas. The last government effectively blocked international recruitment without investing in care in the UK. It is unclear how the sector will meet the future demand for care and support for older and disabled people.
We call on policymakers to prioritise investment in the homecare workforce. We must ensure fair pay and conditions that reflect the skilled nature of the work.
Homecare plays a vital role in enabling us all to live well at home and flourish in our communities. Investing in homecare helps to enhance wellbeing; increase healthy life expectancy; reduce pressure on the NHS; save money for the health and care system; and support economic growth.”