England’s adult social care sector has recorded its lowest vacancy rate in a decade, according to new data released by Skills for Care. While the figures signal progress for workforce stability, sector leaders are warning that deep-rooted recruitment and retention challenges remain unresolved.
The charity’s latest Size and Structure of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report shows that the workforce continued to expand in 2025/26, marking a fourth consecutive year of growth. However, the pace of expansion is slowing, highlighting a more complex labour market environment.
The report reveals that the sector added approximately 22,000 filled posts over the past year, equivalent to a 1.4% increase. While this represents continued growth, it is also the slowest annual increase in four years, signalling that the post-pandemic recovery phase may be levelling off.
This moderation comes despite sustained demand pressures driven by demographic change, particularly the UK’s ageing population.
A key highlight of the report is the decline in vacancies across the sector. The adult social care vacancy rate fell to 6.2% in 2025/26, the lowest level recorded since 2015/16.
In practical terms, this equates to roughly 96,000 vacancies on any given day, representing a 10.5% decrease compared with the previous year.
Despite the improvement, the sector continues to face a disproportionate workforce gap. Vacancy levels remain around three times higher than the wider UK economy, underlining ongoing recruitment difficulties.
The data also points to a significant shift in workforce demographics. Over the past year, the number of posts filled by individuals with British nationality fell by 40,000, bringing the total decline since 2020/21 to 130,000.
While the shortfall has been partially offset by an increase in non-British workers, recent immigration policy changes are beginning to have an impact. The removal of a dedicated international visa route has led to a fall in overseas recruitment, with only 30,000 new international workers joining directly from abroad in 2025/26 – the lowest level seen in four years.
For employers, this raises concerns about the sustainability of workforce supply, particularly for roles that have historically relied on international recruitment pipelines.
Looking ahead, the report highlights the scale of future workforce demand. Skills for Care estimates that the adult social care sector will require an additional 410,000 posts by 2040 to meet the needs of England’s ageing population.
This projection underscores the urgency for long-term workforce planning, including improved retention strategies, career development pathways, and sustainable funding models.
Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth said:
“It’s encouraging to see vacancies fall to their lowest level in 10 years and the workforce continuing to grow. This reflects the hard work and commitment of employers across the sector to attract and retain staff in a challenging environment.
“However, the longer-term picture remains difficult. Vacancy rates are still significantly higher than the wider economy, domestic workforce numbers are falling and there is no dedicated visa route for international recruitment – all of which highlight the scale of the challenge ahead.
“We need a long-term, collective approach. Skills for Care is bringing partners together to develop a 10-year plan to attract more people into adult social care and support them to build rewarding careers. This work is central to delivering the Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in England and ensuring the sector has the workforce it needs for the future”
The findings are drawn from Skills for Care’s Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC WDS), which includes information on more than 750,000 individuals across over 21,000 care-providing locations.
This dataset plays a critical role in shaping national workforce policy, offering detailed insights to support strategic planning, operational decision-making, and future workforce modelling.
- Vacancy rates are improving – but still significantly higher than national averages
- Workforce growth is continuing, albeit at a slower pace
- Reliance on international recruitment is becoming less viable
- Long-term workforce demand will accelerate sharply by 2040
For managers and professionals across the UK health sector, the message is clear: while short-term indicators are positive, systemic workforce challenges remain and require sustained strategic intervention.
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