The latest The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England, 2026 published by Skills for Care provides a mixed, but important, picture of a sector that has demonstrated remarkable resilience during a period of significant economic, workforce and policy change.

Overall, there is genuine progress to celebrate, particularly in relation to workforce growth, reduced vacancies and improving retention. However, the report also highlights emerging risks that policymakers, commissioners and providers cannot afford to ignore if these gains are to be sustained.

Adult social care continues to be one of England's largest employers, supporting 1.46 million people in work, contributing £81.8 billion (about 2.7%) to the economy and delivering essential support to millions of people every day. The workforce has reached a record 1.59 million filled posts, while vacancies have fallen to 96,000, returning to pre-pandemic levels. These are significant achievements for a sector that has spent years grappling with severe recruitment pressures.

At the same time, the report serves as a warning that many of these improvements have been underpinned by international recruitment, while domestic recruitment continues to weaken. The number of British workers entering direct care roles remains lower than the number leaving, and the closure of the Health and Care Worker visa route to new overseas recruits creates a major workforce challenge for the coming years.

Read the report in full | Skills for Care