Adult Social Care Statistics England 2026: Key Findings for Care Providers
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published its Adult social care provider statistics, England: quarterly update to August 2026 on 3 September 2026.
What Do the August 2026 Adult Social Care Statistics Show?
The release covers care home occupancy, the number of people receiving care, visiting, COVID-19-related staff absence and digital social care records. Its figures provide a view of adult social care across England. For providers, owners and investors, they also raise useful questions about what is happening within their own services.
Care Home Occupancy and Available Beds in England
According to the DHSC release, 86.8% of care home beds in England were occupied in the week ending 14 August 2026. A further 10.2% were vacant and available for admission, while 3.0% were vacant but unavailable for admission. Occupancy rose gradually from 86.2% in June to 86.8% in August.
The distinction between the two types of vacant bed matters when reviewing a home’s performance. DHSC defines a vacant and non-admittable bed as one that was empty but unavailable for admission on the day the provider submitted its data. The category includes beds reported as reserved. The statistics do not explain why every other bed in the category was unavailable.
Providers therefore need to look beyond the number of empty beds in their own services. Which are available for admission now? Which are unavailable, and for how long? Where a bed is available, are suitable enquiries reaching the home and progressing to placements?
The national occupancy rate cannot answer those questions. A review of the home’s own capacity, enquiries and admissions can.
Regional Differences in Care Home Occupancy
The DHSC data also shows substantial regional variation. In August 2026, care home occupancy ranged from 82.9% in the East Midlands to 90.9% in London. The proportion of beds vacant and available for admission ranged from 6.9% in London to 13.4% in the East Midlands.
These figures provide context, but the national average is of limited use as a target for an individual home. Local demand, the type of care a service provides and the needs it can meet all matter when interpreting its occupancy.
For an owner or investor, the more useful comparison is often how the service has performed over time. Has occupancy changed? Are suitable enquiries increasing or declining? What reasons are recorded when an enquiry does not result in an admission? Reviewing those details can help identify where further investigation is needed.
Uptake of Digital Social Care Records
The release estimates that 83.6% of CQC-registered adult social care provider locations in England had a digital social care record in June 2026, compared with 79.3% in June 2025. These estimates are based on information reported by providers.
The figures tell us about the use of digital record systems, but they do not assess the quality of the information within them. For providers, the practical questions are whether care plans are updated when people’s needs change, whether staff can find the current information and whether managers can follow up actions arising from incidents or concerns.
A digital system can make care information easier to organise and review. Regular checks are still needed to establish whether records are accurate, current and reflected in day-to-day care.
Number of People Receiving Care Home and Domiciliary Care
DHSC recorded 355,809 people living in care homes among the 91.9% of care home providers that responded for the week ending 14 August 2026. It also recorded 489,732 people receiving CQC-regulated domiciliary care among the 81.2% of domiciliary care providers that responded.
These are counts from responding providers. They should not be presented as totals for everyone receiving care in England. Including the response rates when quoting the figures helps readers understand their scope.
Care Home Visiting and COVID-19-Related Staff Absence
The release also reports that 99.0% of care homes in England were able to accommodate people receiving visitors in the week ending 14 August. This measures whether homes could accommodate visiting; it does not describe each person’s experience of it.
During the same week, 0.1% of care home staff and 0.1% of domiciliary care staff were absent for COVID-19-related reasons. These figures cover that specific reason for absence, so they do not show overall staff absence or the full effect of staffing pressures on a service.
What Should Care Providers Review in Their Own Services?
The DHSC figures describe activity across the sector. They cannot tell a provider whether its own admissions decisions are well governed, care plans reflect people’s current needs or managers are following up identified risks.
That requires a closer look at the service. If a bed is unavailable for admission, is the reason understood and reviewed? When a suitable referral is declined, is the decision recorded? If someone’s needs change, can the provider see that their care plan and support changed too?
These are questions of oversight and quality assurance as well as operational performance. The value lies in connecting the figures to decisions made within the service, checking the evidence and making sure actions are followed through.
Fulcrum Care supports providers, owners and investors with operational oversight and quality improvement. We help services examine what their own information is telling them, identify gaps and take practical action.
If you would like a clearer view of performance and care quality across a home or portfolio, speak to our team today.