Care Sector Insight (29.07.2025)
Policy Highlights
Vacancy rates in social care return to pre-Covid levels
The new figures – based on data from Skills for Care’s Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) – show that 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%.
Travel time and the National Minimum Wage – Court of Appeal clarifies ‘time work’
The Court of Appeal has confirmed that time spent travelling from home to various work sites is not ‘time work’ for National Minimum Wage (NMW) purposes under the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015.
Sector Updates
NHS launches first ever review to tackle LGBT+ health inequalities
The detailed work, announced today (29 July), will help the NHS understand how it can do more to meet the needs of LGBT+ people, including understanding barriers to accessing healthcare and the impact of LGBT+ health inequalities on outcomes and patient safety.
Social care workforce still under strain - LGA statement
"A chronically underfunded social care system not only adds pressure to other public services, but more importantly, has a profound impact on people who draw on care, resulting in widespread unmet need."