Liberal Democrats will be the voice of Social Care in Parliament

The Liberal Democrats tabled an amendment to the King’s Speech to highlight the need to rescue social care.  Figures reveal that the number of care homes in England has fallen by close to 1,500 since 2018.

The amendment called for free personal care in England, better support for carers and a cross-party commission on social care to provide the desperately needed long-term reforms to the sector.

House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats shows the number of care homes in England has fallen from 16,020 in 2018 to 14,565 in 2024. Three-quarters (73%) of all constituencies in England have seen a fall in the number of care homes since 2018.

There is a deep crisis in social care with half a million people on waiting lists for care in residential settings or at home and one in 10 care staff positions are vacant.

There has also been a loss of nearly 6,000 care home beds since 2018 with some areas seeing sharp drop offs. In Hornsey and Wood Green 55% of beds have been lost, in Wythenshawe and Sale East it is 37% and Bristol South was 36% since 2018. 306 of the 534 constituencies in England have seen a reduction in the number of care home beds since 2018.

The Lib Dems have previously said that a rescue package for social care could be paid for by raising £4 billion through reversing the Conservatives tax cuts for the big banks since 2016. 

Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:

“I know from speaking with people across the country in recent weeks and from my own personal experience just how broken our social care system is. People cannot find care homes nearby for their loved ones and when they do many cannot afford the spiralling cost of care.

“This stark postcode lottery reveals once again just how badly the Conservative Party damaged social care. Their neglect of local health and care services has driven our NHS into the ground and left families struggling to find care for their loved ones.

"I am proud the Liberal Democrats have tabled this amendment to the King's Speech to stand up for care and carers. We will be the voice of carers in this Parliament and work with others to find solutions to the big challenge of social care."