GITNUXREPORT 2025

Social Care Statistics

Global social care workforce growing amid workforce challenges and aging populations.

Jannik Linder

Co-Founder of Gitnux, specialized in content and tech since 2016.

First published: April 29, 2025

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Statistic 1

In the UK, 1 in 8 adults receive social care services

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Approximately 850,000 people in the US rely on social care services

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85% of people in the UK who receive social care do so in their own homes

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Around 60% of social care clients in the UK are aged 65 and over

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In the US, 59% of adults with disabilities rely on social care services

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In the EU, one in six people aged 65 and over requires intensive social care

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Over 30% of social care clients in England live in rural areas, impacting access to services

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People aged 85 and over are the fastest-growing demographic receiving social care, with a 35% increase over the past decade

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The average wait time for social care assessment in the UK is approximately 19 days

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In the US, the number of individuals aged 85+ needing social care services is projected to double by 2040

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Approximately 35% of social care residents in nursing homes in the UK are over the age of 85

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The global aging population is expected to increase demand for social care services by 75% by 2030

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The majority of social care assessments in the UK are conducted within 19 days of referral, though delays remain in some regions

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In England, local authorities spend over £16 billion annually on adult social care

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The UK government allocated £2.5 billion more for social care in 2023, aiming to improve service quality and access

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Digital health solutions are expected to reduce social care costs by 15% over a decade

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The majority of social care funding in the UK comes from local authorities—about 66% of total expenditure

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Globally, only about 50% of countries have formal regulations governing social care standards

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Nearly 10% of adults in the UK who need social care do not receive any services, due to access and funding issues

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The annual cost of informal care provided by family and friends in the UK is estimated at around £39 billion

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The proportion of social care funding coming from government sources varies significantly across countries, with some countries providing over 80% of funding

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The average cost for residential social care per person in the UK is around £30,000 annually

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The percentage of social care funding allocated for training varies across regions but generally accounts for less than 10% of total budgets

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The global social care sector is expected to grow by 4.5% annually until 2030

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The global market for social care services is projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030

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Social care services in some countries are increasingly focusing on community-based solutions rather than institutional care, with over 70% adopting this approach

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Technological innovations like telecare are increasingly used in social care, with over 60% of providers adopting some form of digital support

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The rise of artificial intelligence in social care aims to improve efficiency, with 45% of providers exploring AI applications as of 2023

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The global social care workforce comprises over 55 million workers

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In the UK, approximately 1.5 million people are employed in social care roles

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Nearly 70% of social care workers are women

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The average age of social care workers in the UK is 45 years

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Around 25% of social care workers in the UK have a level 3 qualification or higher

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About 40% of social care workers leave their jobs within the first year

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The average hourly wage for social care workers in the UK is approximately £9.70

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Nearly 60% of social carers in the UK work shifts, including nights and weekends

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The percentage of social care workers from minority ethnic backgrounds in the UK is approximately 15%

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The number of social care jobs in Australia has increased by 20% over the past 5 years

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The turnover rate for home care workers in Australia exceeds 30% annually

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The median duration of employment for social care workers in the UK is approximately 2.5 years

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Approximately 10% of social care funding in the UK is spent on training and development of staff

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The percentage of social care workers reporting high job stress is around 25%

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Approximately 40% of social care staff in the UK work part-time, often balancing multiple jobs

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In Japan, the social care workforce accounts for about 4% of the total employed population

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In the UK, about 1 in 4 social care workers are over 55 years old, indicating an aging workforce

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65% of social care staff in the UK report feeling that their workload is unmanageable, contributing to high stress levels

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In 2022, the UK government announced a plan to recruit an additional 50,000 social care workers by 2024 to address workforce shortages

Statistic 48

In the UK, the number of formal social care workers per 1,000 population aged 65+ is about 3.5, indicating service coverage

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Key Highlights

The global social care workforce comprises over 55 million workers
In the UK, approximately 1.5 million people are employed in social care roles
Nearly 70% of social care workers are women
The average age of social care workers in the UK is 45 years
Around 25% of social care workers in the UK have a level 3 qualification or higher
The global social care sector is expected to grow by 4.5% annually until 2030
In the UK, 1 in 8 adults receive social care services
Approximately 850,000 people in the US rely on social care services
About 40% of social care workers leave their jobs within the first year
In England, local authorities spend over £16 billion annually on adult social care
The average hourly wage for social care workers in the UK is approximately £9.70
85% of people in the UK who receive social care do so in their own homes
Nearly 60% of social carers in the UK work shifts, including nights and weekends

With over 55 million workers worldwide—and an aging population driving demand—social care is emerging as one of the most critical and rapidly evolving sectors in the 21st century.

Care Recipients and Service Utilization

In the UK, 1 in 8 adults receive social care services
Approximately 850,000 people in the US rely on social care services
85% of people in the UK who receive social care do so in their own homes
Around 60% of social care clients in the UK are aged 65 and over
In the US, 59% of adults with disabilities rely on social care services
In the EU, one in six people aged 65 and over requires intensive social care
Over 30% of social care clients in England live in rural areas, impacting access to services
People aged 85 and over are the fastest-growing demographic receiving social care, with a 35% increase over the past decade
The average wait time for social care assessment in the UK is approximately 19 days
In the US, the number of individuals aged 85+ needing social care services is projected to double by 2040
Approximately 35% of social care residents in nursing homes in the UK are over the age of 85
The global aging population is expected to increase demand for social care services by 75% by 2030
The majority of social care assessments in the UK are conducted within 19 days of referral, though delays remain in some regions

Care Recipients and Service Utilization Interpretation

As the global population ages at unprecedented rates, with over a third of UK social care residents now over 85 and demand set to surge by 75% worldwide by 2030, it appears our social care systems are racing against time—finding them often in rural gaps, waiting weeks for assessments, and watching the fastest-growing demographic inch closer to needing care, proving that aging is universal, but adequate care is still a work in progress.

Funding and Economic Investment

In England, local authorities spend over £16 billion annually on adult social care
The UK government allocated £2.5 billion more for social care in 2023, aiming to improve service quality and access
Digital health solutions are expected to reduce social care costs by 15% over a decade
The majority of social care funding in the UK comes from local authorities—about 66% of total expenditure
Globally, only about 50% of countries have formal regulations governing social care standards
Nearly 10% of adults in the UK who need social care do not receive any services, due to access and funding issues
The annual cost of informal care provided by family and friends in the UK is estimated at around £39 billion
The proportion of social care funding coming from government sources varies significantly across countries, with some countries providing over 80% of funding
The average cost for residential social care per person in the UK is around £30,000 annually
The percentage of social care funding allocated for training varies across regions but generally accounts for less than 10% of total budgets

Funding and Economic Investment Interpretation

While the UK invests over £16 billion annually in adult social care—funded predominantly by local authorities—highlighting a substantial commitment, the persistent 10% treatment gap and reliance on informal (and unpaid) care underscore the urgent need for smarter, standardized, and better-funded solutions, especially as digital innovations promise a 15% cost reduction over a decade.

Global and Regional Market Trends

The global social care sector is expected to grow by 4.5% annually until 2030
The global market for social care services is projected to reach $1.2 trillion by 2030
Social care services in some countries are increasingly focusing on community-based solutions rather than institutional care, with over 70% adopting this approach

Global and Regional Market Trends Interpretation

As the social care sector accelerates toward a $1.2 trillion milestone by 2030 with a 4.5% annual growth—and a global shift to community-based solutions—it's clear that caring for our communities is becoming not just a moral imperative but a booming economic one.

Technological Innovations and Future Developments

Technological innovations like telecare are increasingly used in social care, with over 60% of providers adopting some form of digital support
The rise of artificial intelligence in social care aims to improve efficiency, with 45% of providers exploring AI applications as of 2023

Technological Innovations and Future Developments Interpretation

As social care embraces technological leaps—over 60% adopting digital support and 45% exploring AI—it's clear that even in compassion, innovation is becoming the new cornerstone; yet, one must ask whether these advances truly serve to humanize care or risk turning it into a high-tech transaction.

Workforce Demographics and Employment Patterns

The global social care workforce comprises over 55 million workers
In the UK, approximately 1.5 million people are employed in social care roles
Nearly 70% of social care workers are women
The average age of social care workers in the UK is 45 years
Around 25% of social care workers in the UK have a level 3 qualification or higher
About 40% of social care workers leave their jobs within the first year
The average hourly wage for social care workers in the UK is approximately £9.70
Nearly 60% of social carers in the UK work shifts, including nights and weekends
The percentage of social care workers from minority ethnic backgrounds in the UK is approximately 15%
The number of social care jobs in Australia has increased by 20% over the past 5 years
The turnover rate for home care workers in Australia exceeds 30% annually
The median duration of employment for social care workers in the UK is approximately 2.5 years
Approximately 10% of social care funding in the UK is spent on training and development of staff
The percentage of social care workers reporting high job stress is around 25%
Approximately 40% of social care staff in the UK work part-time, often balancing multiple jobs
In Japan, the social care workforce accounts for about 4% of the total employed population
In the UK, about 1 in 4 social care workers are over 55 years old, indicating an aging workforce
65% of social care staff in the UK report feeling that their workload is unmanageable, contributing to high stress levels
In 2022, the UK government announced a plan to recruit an additional 50,000 social care workers by 2024 to address workforce shortages
In the UK, the number of formal social care workers per 1,000 population aged 65+ is about 3.5, indicating service coverage

Workforce Demographics and Employment Patterns Interpretation

With over 55 million globally and only around 1.5 million in the UK—predominantly middle-aged women earning less than a pint of beer an hour—it's clear that although society relies heavily on these often overstretched carers, investments in their training and wellbeing remain tragically underfunded, risking their retention and the quality of care they provide.