Care vacancies in England are at their lowest level in a decade. That sounds like good news, and partly it is. But Skills for Care’s annual workforce report, published on 14 October 2026, also shows the workforce is growing more slowly, fewer British people are joining, and international recruitment has fallen sharply.
For care providers, the message is clear: staff retention in social care is now the main way to keep rotas covered. You can no longer rely on a steady supply of new starters to replace the people who leave.
This guide sets out what the 2026 figures say about care worker turnover, why staff leave, and a practical retention plan you can start this month.
Care workforce 2026: the key numbers
Skills for Care’s State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England 2026 covers the year to March 2026. Its headline figures, alongside its June 2026 Size and structure report, are below.
| Measure (England, 2025/26) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Vacancy rate | 6.2% — lowest since 2015/16 |
| Vacant posts on any given day | 96,000 (down 11,500, or 10.5%) |
| Filled posts | 1.59 million (up 22,000, or 1.4%) |
| Turnover, care workers and support workers | 26.9% (about 221,000 leavers in 12 months) |
| Starter rate, care workers and support workers | 31.0% |
| Staff on zero-hours contracts | 21% (around 325,000 filled posts) |
| New international recruits from abroad | 30,000 — lowest in four years |
| Filled posts held by British nationals | Down 40,000 on the previous year |
| Extra posts needed by 2040 | 410,000 |
Two things stand out. First, workforce growth of 1.4% is the slowest in four years. Second, more than one in four care and support workers left their role during the year. Vacancies are lower, but churn is still high, and every leaver costs you time, money and continuity of care.
Why care worker turnover matters more in 2026
The overseas pipeline has closed
The government closed the social care worker visa route to new overseas recruits from 22 July 2025. Transitional arrangements apply to care workers already in the UK. Skills for Care’s chief executive, Professor Oonagh Smyth, has warned that “domestic workforce numbers are falling and there is no dedicated visa route for international recruitment”.
In practice, every experienced carer who leaves is harder to replace than it was two years ago.
Demand keeps rising
Skills for Care projects the sector will need a further 410,000 posts by 2040 as the population ages. Providers who build a stable team now will be better placed as demand grows.
Turnover is expensive
Each leaver means recruitment advertising, DBS and right to work checks, induction, Care Certificate training, shadow shifts and, often, agency cover while you recruit. It also affects the people you support, who value familiar faces.
Why care workers leave
The 2026 report and press coverage of it point to a few consistent drivers.
- Insecure hours. Around 21% of the adult social care workforce is on zero-hours contracts, compared with 4% of the economically active population. Among care workers, the figure is 29%, and it is 34% in domiciliary care. Skills for Care’s analysis shows care workers on zero-hours contracts are more likely to leave.
- Pay close to the minimum. The National Living Wage rose to £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2026. Many care roles are paid close to this, so a small hourly difference elsewhere — including in retail or hospitality — can pull staff away.
- Little progression. Experienced care workers often earn only slightly more than new starters, which weakens the reason to stay.
- Early-career exits. Staff aged under 25 had the highest turnover of any age group, at 35.5%, according to coverage of the report. Under-25s also make up a smaller share of the care workforce than of the wider working population.
- Leadership. Turnover falls as registered manager experience increases. Good managers keep good staff.
What the data says actually reduces turnover
The most useful finding for employers is what happens when good practices are combined. According to reporting on the 2026 report, care worker turnover roughly halved, from 34.3% to 15.3%, where employers combined five factors:
- Competitive pay
- Guaranteed hours (not a zero-hours contract)
- Training
- Relevant qualifications
- Full-time employment opportunities
The report also found care worker turnover falls from 28.3% to 20.6% as registered manager experience increases.
No single change fixes retention. The biggest gains come from stacking several improvements together.
A 10-step staff retention plan for care providers
Use this plan to turn the findings into action. Most steps cost management time rather than large budgets.
1. Measure your own turnover
Calculate turnover for the last 12 months: leavers divided by average headcount. Compare it with the national 26.9% for care and support workers. Break it down by role, length of service, contract type and age.
2. Find out when people leave
If many leavers go within their first three to six months, your problem is onboarding, not pay. Track leavers by length of service.
3. Offer guaranteed hours where you can
Give staff the option of a contract with set minimum hours. Some people prefer flexibility, so ask rather than impose. Note that the Employment Rights Act 2025 includes planned reforms to zero-hours contracts; check GOV.UK for confirmed commencement dates before changing contracts.
4. Review pay against your local market
Benchmark against local care providers and nearby employers in retail, hospitality and the NHS. Small, visible increases for experience and qualifications can matter as much as the headline rate.
5. Build a clear progression path
Set out how a care worker can move to senior carer, team leader or deputy manager. Link each step to a qualification and a pay rise.
6. Invest in training and qualifications
Support staff through the Care Certificate and a relevant qualification. Training is one of the five factors linked to lower turnover, and it shows staff you are investing in them.
7. Strengthen induction and buddying
Pair every new starter with an experienced colleague for their first shifts. Check in at weeks one, four and twelve.
8. Support your registered manager
Manager experience is linked to lower turnover. Give managers time, training and admin support so they can lead rather than firefight.
9. Make rotas fair and predictable
Publish rotas early, share weekend and bank holiday cover fairly, and keep travel time reasonable for homecare staff.
10. Run stay interviews, not just exit interviews
Ask current staff what keeps them and what might make them leave. Act on the answers and tell staff what changed.
Quick retention checklist
- We know our turnover rate for the last 12 months
- We know how many leavers left in their first six months
- Staff can choose a contract with guaranteed hours
- Our pay has been benchmarked locally in the last 12 months
- Experience and qualifications are rewarded with pay
- Every new starter has a buddy and scheduled check-ins
- Our registered manager has protected time and support
- Rotas are published at least two weeks ahead
- We run stay interviews at least once a year
- We have a reliable plan for short-notice cover
Example: a homecare branch tackling early leavers
Illustrative example, not a real provider. A homecare branch finds that half of its leavers go within three months, mostly new carers on zero-hours contracts with long unpaid travel gaps. It offers new starters a guaranteed-hours option, groups calls by area to cut travel, and adds a buddy for the first two weeks. It also uses a recruitment agency for short-notice temporary cover so permanent staff are not pushed into excessive overtime.
The lesson: diagnose first, then fix the specific reason people leave.
Where temporary staff fit in a retention strategy
Agency and temporary staff are not a replacement for a stable permanent team. But used well, they protect retention:
- They stop permanent staff burning out during sickness, holiday and peak periods such as winter.
- They let you keep safe staffing levels while you recruit carefully, rather than hiring in a rush.
- A contract-to-hire arrangement lets you and the worker try the role before committing to a permanent contract.
If you use agency workers, remember they have rights too, including equal pay and conditions after 12 weeks in the same role under the Agency Workers Regulations.
Advice for care workers: what to look for in an employer
If you work in care and are thinking about your next move, the 2026 data suggests asking employers:
- Can I have a contract with guaranteed hours?
- Will you support me to gain a qualification?
- Is there a pay step for experience or qualifications?
- How long has the registered manager been in post?
- How far ahead are rotas published?
New to the sector? Read our guide on how to become a care worker in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
What is the care worker turnover rate in 2026?
Skills for Care’s 2026 report puts turnover for care workers and support workers at 26.9% in 2025/26. That is equivalent to about 221,000 leavers in 12 months.
What is the social care vacancy rate in 2026?
The vacancy rate was 6.2% in 2025/26, the lowest since 2015/16. That is around 96,000 vacant posts on any given day.
What reduces staff turnover in care homes?
Skills for Care’s data shows the biggest reduction comes from combining competitive pay, guaranteed hours, training, qualifications and full-time opportunities. Experienced, well-supported registered managers also reduce turnover.
Can care homes still recruit care workers from overseas?
The social care worker visa route closed to new overseas recruits from 22 July 2025. Transitional arrangements apply to some workers already in the UK. Check GOV.UK for the current rules before making any sponsorship decision.
What is the minimum wage for care workers in 2026?
Care workers aged 21 and over must be paid at least the National Living Wage, which is £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026.
Are zero-hours contracts still allowed in social care?
Yes, for now. The Employment Rights Act 2025 contains planned reforms to zero-hours contracts, but these are not yet in force. Check GOV.UK and ACAS for confirmed dates.
How AESN can help
AESN is a UK recruitment agency supplying healthcare and care staff, including healthcare assistants, support workers and nurses, on temporary, permanent and contract-to-hire terms. We can help you:
- Cover short-notice gaps with pre-vetted temporary staff, so your permanent team is not overstretched
- Recruit permanent care staff carefully, with compliance checks handled
- Trial candidates through contract-to-hire before making a permanent offer
Talk to our team about your staffing needs today: contact AESN.
