New UK Data Reveals Scale of Pressure Facing Older People, Carers, and the NHS in 2025–26
Approximately 4.3 million people aged 65+ live alone in the UK.
The dataset compiles verified figures from government departments, NHS bodies, national charities, and independent research organisations into a single, publicly accessible reference source designed for journalists, researchers, policymakers, and commentators.
Among the key findings:
- Falls among older people now account for over 4 million hospital bed days per year, costing the NHS an estimated £2.3 billion annually.
- 17.9% of people aged 75+ are readmitted to hospital within 30 days, while 85% of delayed discharges involve patients aged 65 or over.
- Approximately 4.3 million people aged 65+ live alone, with those receiving no visits facing a significantly higher risk of early mortality.
- Unpaid carers contribute an estimated £184.3 billion per year to the UK economy, with 600 people leaving work every day to care for a loved one.
- The average cost of residential care now exceeds £67,000 per year, with substantial regional variation and widening gaps between self-funded and local authority rates.
The resource also maps regional disparities across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, including care costs, workforce shortages, dementia prevalence, and unpaid caring rates, illustrating what many experts describe as a growing “postcode lottery” in later-life support.
“We’re seeing the same issues reported in isolation again and again. Hospital pressure, unpaid carers burning out, older people living alone with rising risk,” said Helena Hitchcox, Operations Director at Unique Senior Care. “This resource brings the evidence together in one place.”
The full dataset covers:
- Market size and national demand for adult social care
- The true cost of care, including home care, residential, and nursing care
- Dementia prevalence, costs, and regional hotspots
- Workforce shortages and staffing pressures
- Unpaid carers and the sandwich generation
- Falls, hospital discharge delays, loneliness, housing risk, and living alone in later life.
The dataset is publicly available and will be updated as new official data is released.
Full dataset available at: https://www.uniquecare.co.uk/uk-elderly-care-statistics-2025-2026/
Chloe Hardy
Unique Senior Care
chloe.hardy@uniquecare.co.uk
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