Home Care Statistics UK: The Data Behind Care at Home

Around half a million people in England receive regulated home care in a typical week, roughly 480,000 adults receive long-term social care in the community, and about 5.0 million people across England and Wales provide unpaid care. Those are the headline numbers for care at home, and the figures below set out where each one comes from.

This page pulls together official statistics on home care in the UK from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), NHS England and gov.uk. Most national datasets cover England, because social care is devolved; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own figures and can differ. Statistics are attributed to their source and reference period at each point of use. Money figures are current as at July 2026 and are subject to change.

Key home care figures at a glance

The table below gathers the main verified statistics on home care in the UK, each with its named source and reference period. Together they cover how many people receive care at home, how many rely on unpaid carers, what local authorities spend, and the money thresholds that shape who pays. Every figure links to its primary source.

Figures cover England unless the source states otherwise. Unpaid care figures cover England and Wales. Reference periods vary; see each linked source.

How many people receive home care?

In England, around 480,000 adults were receiving long-term social care in a community setting, which includes their own home, during 2024 to 2025, out of about 889,000 people who received long-term care in total that year (gov.uk, Adult social care activity report, England, 2024 to 2025). Weekly monitoring counts are lower and cover only regulated providers who respond.

The most current snapshot comes from Capacity Tracker, reported in the monthly adult social care statistics. In the week ending 14 November 2025, 499,797 people were recorded receiving CQC-regulated domiciliary (home) care among the 84.4% of home care providers that responded (gov.uk, Adult social care in England monthly statistics, December 2025). Because response is partial, the true total is likely higher.

These measures count different things over different windows, so they are not directly comparable. Together they suggest that home and community care serves more people than residential and nursing care combined in England.

Unpaid care in numbers

Alongside paid home care, a large share of care is provided free by family and friends. On Census Day, 21 March 2021, an estimated 5.0 million people aged 5 and over provided unpaid care in England and Wales, about 9.0% of the population, down from 11.4% in 2011 (ONS, Unpaid care, England and Wales, Census 2021). Around 1.5 million of them provided 50 or more hours a week.

Source: ONS, Unpaid care, England and Wales, Census 2021. Percentages are age-standardised where the ONS reports them that way.

The picture differs by nation. In England, 8.9% of people provided unpaid care in 2021, compared with 10.5% in Wales (ONS, Census 2021). Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own censuses and report separately.

What the numbers mean

Taken together, the figures point to a care system where most long-term support in England is delivered in the community rather than in institutions, and where unpaid family care sits alongside a large paid home care sector. Around 480,000 adults received community care in 2024 to 2025 (gov.uk, activity report 2024 to 2025), and separate weekly counts record close to half a million home care recipients at a time.

A few points are worth keeping in mind when reading home care statistics. Weekly Capacity Tracker counts depend on how many providers respond, so headline totals can move with the response rate rather than with real demand (gov.uk, monthly stats December 2025). Annual activity figures and weekly snapshots count different populations, so they should not be added together or compared line for line.

On cost, an average of £23.56 an hour for external home care can understate what a full package costs, because many people need several visits a day (gov.uk, finance report 2024 to 2025). With the capital limits frozen at £23,250 and £14,250, more self-funders may reach them over time as savings and property values change (gov.uk, 2026 to 2027). In our view, that combination is why many families choose to look at later-life planning early, though the right approach depends on individual circumstances.

Sources and methodology

All figures on this page come from named official statistics, verified against the source in July 2026. Each was checked at its point of use and links to its primary publication. Where a source covers only England, that is noted, because adult social care is devolved and other UK nations publish separately. Reference periods differ between datasets and are given with each statistic.

• Home care recipients (weekly): gov.uk, Adult social care in England monthly statistics, December 2025 (Capacity Tracker, week ending 14 November 2025).
• Long-term care activity: gov.uk, Adult social care activity report, England, 2024 to 2025 (NHS England / DHSC).
• Spending and hourly cost: gov.uk, Adult social care finance report, England, 2024 to 2025.
• Unpaid care: ONS, Unpaid care, England and Wales, Census 2021.
• Attendance Allowance: gov.uk, Attendance Allowance, as at July 2026.
• Means test and charging: gov.uk, social care charging local authority circular, 2026 to 2027.

For related planning context, see our estate planning guide, our overview of Care Home Fees, and our explainer on paying for care at home.

Frequently asked questions