Community Care Statistics, Home help and care services for adults: England, 2006

During a sample week in September 2006:

• An estimated 3.7 million contact hours were provided to around 345,800 households (or 359,200 clients). This represents an increase in the number of hours of 5 per cent since 2005 and an increase of 43 per cent since 1997, whilst the number of households has fallen by 2 per cent from 2005.
• 75 per cent of the total contact hours of home care were provided by the independent sector to 253,300 households. This compares with 73 per cent in 2005 and 42 per cent in 1997.
• The average number of contact hours per household was 10.8. In 2005, the average number of contact hours was 10.1. This suggests that more intensive services are being provided for a smaller number of service users, continuing the trend seen over the last 10 years. The 2006 figures represent a doubling of the average rate of contact hours since 1997 (5.4).
• Around 100,100 households (29 per cent of households) received intensive home care in 2006 (defined as more than 10 contact hours and 6 or more visits during the week). This represents a 2 per cent increase from the 2005 figure of 98,200 and a 65 per cent increase from 1998, when this information was first recorded.
• Around 50 per cent of households who received home care received more than 5 hours of care and 6 or more visits. In 2005, around 48 per cent of households receiving care had over 5 hours care and 6 or more visits.
• 14 per cent of households receiving care had only a single visit during the week compared with 15 per cent in 2005. In the vast majority of cases the visit lasted 2 hours or less.
• Around 13,100 households were receiving home care from both the CSSR directly and the independent sector, a 16 per cent decrease from the 2005 figure of 15,500.
• The gross annual expenditure on home care services has increased by 32 per cent in real terms since 2000-01, from £1.9 billion to nearly £2.5 billion.

ISBN Reference: 1-84636-123-0