How much has Care Home occupancy actually dropped recently?

‘For care homes that fall within the Market Oversight scheme (approximately 30% of the total care home sector), occupancy levels were on average 87% prior to the pandemic. These levels are estimated to have reduced by around 10% at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. While average occupancy levels increased over summer to approximately 80%, they remain considerably below normal and may fall again.’

‘An Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) report in June said that a quarter of directors were concerned about the financial sustainability of most of their residential and nursing providers following the pandemic.’

‘We have looked at the latest data from our register of care homes, and this shows that the total number of registered care home beds is still relatively unchanged. The total number of care home beds across the country at 1 November 2020 was 457,636 compared with 456,892 at 1 March 2020. This shows a very small increase in beds (less than 0.2%)’

‘Financial challenges do not yet appear to have given rise to home closures, but it is unlikely that this can be maintained if occupancy levels decline over the long term.’

‘In their June report, ADASS said reported that, as a result of COVID-19, around three-quarters of councils had seen a drop in occupancy of residential and nursing homes used mainly by state-funded residents, and over half had seen a decline in occupancy in homes mainly for self-funders.’