04/09/2026
Care Home Occupancy Edges Up as Digital Records Reach Record Levels, Latest DHSC figures show
Care home occupancy across England has continued a gradual climb through the summer, according to the latest quarterly adult social care provider statistics published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on 3 September 2026.
The data, drawn from the Capacity Tracker system and CQC provider information returns, shows that 86.8% of total care home beds were occupied in the week ending 14 August 2026 — nudging above the 12-month average of 86.2%. The figure had dipped below that average between December 2025 and May 2026 before beginning a steady rise from June onwards.
Of the remaining beds, 10.2% were vacant and admittable, while 3.0% were vacant but unavailable for admission. Both figures have remained broadly stable over the past year.
Regional divide persists
As has been the pattern in previous reports, occupancy varied considerably by region. London recorded the highest occupancy rate at 90.9%, while the East Midlands lagged behind at 82.9% — a gap that was mirrored in vacancy figures, with the East Midlands reporting the highest proportion of admittable vacant beds (13.4%) and London the lowest (6.9%).
Across bed types, occupancy was broadly consistent: 86.5% for non-specialist residential beds, 87.4% for non-specialist nursing beds, and 86.9% for specialist and other beds.
Resident and domiciliary care numbers
There were 355,809 residents recorded in the 91.9% of care home providers that responded to the survey in the week ending 14 August 2026. This included 331,055 residents in older adult care homes and 24,754 in younger adult settings.
Separately, 489,732 people were recorded as receiving CQC-regulated domiciliary care, based on responses from 81.2% of domiciliary care providers.
Visiting remains strong
The proportion of care homes able to accommodate visitors held steady at 99.0% for the week in question, continuing a trend of stability seen since September 2022. Regional variation was modest, ranging from 98.5% in the East Midlands to 99.3% in the South East.
COVID-related staff absence stays low
Staff absence linked to COVID-19 remained minimal, with 0.1% of both care home and domiciliary care staff absent for COVID-related reasons in the week ending 14 August 2026 — consistent with rates recorded over the past two years. Regional variation was negligible, with rates in care homes ranging from 0.0% to 0.1%, and in domiciliary care from 0.0% to 0.2%.
Digital records uptake continues to grow
Perhaps the most notable development in this quarter's release is the continued expansion of digital social care records (DSCRs). As of June 2026, an estimated 83.6% of CQC-registered provider locations had adopted a DSCR, up from 79.3% a year earlier.
The proportion of people receiving care from providers with a DSCR in place also rose, reaching 91.9% in June 2026, compared with 88.3% in June 2025. A further 5.9% of provider locations were reported to be in the process of implementing a digital system, suggesting further gains are likely in the coming months.
What it means for the sector
The figures, according to the DHSC update point to a sector that remains under sustained occupancy pressure but is showing signs of resilience, with bed occupancy rising modestly and staff absence at historically low levels. The continued growth in digital records adoption — now approaching the mid-80s in percentage terms — reflects the ongoing shift away from paper-based systems across the residential and nursing care landscape, a transition DHSC has consistently highlighted as a priority.
The next quarterly update is due for publication on 3 December 2026.
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Care home occupancy across England has continued a gradual climb through the summer, according to the latest quarterly adult social care provider statistics
