The social care crisis is deepening as thousands of elderly patients remain hospitalised despite being medically fit, largely because they cannot access care in the community. In a recent month, 14,000 such patients were stuck in hospital every day in England, a number that has risen 12% since June 2024 and 70% since 2021.
Financial and Human Toll
Delayed discharges are now costing the NHS £230 a month, with the annual cost for 2025/26 reaching £2.7 billion. Beyond the financial burden, the human cost is severe. Age UK collected accounts from elderly people who lost health and independence as home care visits were cancelled while they were in hospital. One 70-year-old told the Mirror she discharged herself to a budget hotel and has been living there for five months.
Prolonged hospital stays risk irreversible muscle loss and mobility decline in older people. Meanwhile, thousands of middle-aged carers quit jobs to look after parents, and many elderly endure “unmet need” in daily living.
Campaign for Reform
The Mirror has launched the Fair Care for All campaign, demanding a national care service alongside the NHS, a minister for the elderly, and a properly funded care system. It also calls for carers to be paid the real Living Wage, an end to home visits of 15 minutes or less, and an increased allowance for unpaid carers.
Andy Burnham, whose father has Alzheimer's and lives in a care home, is expected to give a major speech on social care. He told the BBC: “Whatever political capital I have, I will put in to fixing broken social care.”
Political Challenges
The issue has tripped up previous leaders. Theresa May faced backlash over a plan dubbed a “dementia tax”. Any solution likely involves sharing the risk of catastrophic care costs across the population through a form of insurance, likely funded by tax. The nation is already paying heavily for the crisis, both financially and in human suffering.
