The Family and Childcare Trust's Older People’s Care Survey 2016 finds that more than 6.4 million people aged 65 and over are living in areas that do not have enough older people’s care to meet demand. Shortages in care are widespread as four in five local authorities in the UK report not having enough care for older people in their area. Most concerning, the biggest shortages are experienced by the most vulnerable older people: just 32% of local authorities report having enough care for older people who need support for dementia as well as physical support needs.

The Older People’s Care Survey gathers data from local authorities about local care costs and availability. The Family and Childcare Trust calls on Government to make sure there is enough care to meet older people’s needs and that means stepping in where the market is not providing enough care. In order to do this, we need Government to build on this new research by regularly monitoring the amount of care available in different parts of the country, and a funding system that truly meets the cost of providing care