Overseas recruitment played a key role in returning the adult social care workforce to growth in 2022-23 after numbers fell in the previous year, a new report has found.

Skills for Care’s annual Size and Structure of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report found the workforce rose by 1% (20,000) between April 2022 and March 2023 after dropping for the first time on record by around 4% (60,000) in the previous year.

The vacancy rate decreased to 9.9%, or around 152,000, compared with 10.6% (around 164,000) the previous year.

Overseas recruitment played a key role in sustaining employment levels with around 70,000 people recruited from abroad.

Around 58,000 skilled worker visas were received after adult social care was added to the Shortage Occupation List in February 2022.

The level of international recruitment contributed to the rate of new starters increasing from 32% to 34% in the independent sector with the turnover rate down from 32% to 30%.

Skills for Care said early evidence suggested turnover rate for international recruits was around half that of people recruited from within the UK.

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Oonagh Smyth, chief executive of Skills for Care, said: “It is encouraging that the number of filled posts has gone up and the vacancy rate has come down. Nevertheless, the data shared by employers with our adult social care workforce data set still show significant pressure on them to find and keep people with the right values needed to work in care.

“It’s positive that we now have a workforce plan for the NHS, which recognises how health and social care are dependent on each other. Our data support the case for a social care workforce plan, including consideration of terms and conditions to support social care roles to be competitive in local labour markets.

“This will help to make sure that we have enough people with the right skills in the right places to support people who draw on care and support now, and for future generations.

“Any workforce plan needs to involve a range of partners as social care is a large and diverse sector. Skills for Care is ready to work with local and national government, employers, people who draw on care and support and our sector partners to help deliver a sustainable plan for the adult social care workforce.”

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said migrant workers were “propping up the broken system”, adding: “Many overseas care workers have paid extortionate fees to come to the UK. When they get here, many can’t believe what they’ve signed up for. 

“Sold an expensive dream, the sad reality for many is a nightmare of terrible treatment, scant training, excessive hours and low pay. The government must hold care providers to account and put a stop to this ill-treatment.

“Ministers must stop with the excuses, get a grip and start clearing up the mess they’ve let care become.”

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services joint chief executive, Cathie Williams said: “International recruitment has been helping to fill some of the gaps, but it’s not a proper, long-term solution to the workforce challenge. We must as a matter of urgency develop a social care workforce plan that attracts people to make rewarding careers in social care. The NHS now has its workforce plan, but we can’t tackle the deep-rooted challenges in the care and health system as a whole without a social care plan too.”  

Miriam Deakin, director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, said: “While the contribution of overseas workers is invaluable, the sector cannot rely on this in the long term. We desperately need better investment to recruit and retain UK staff to put the sector on a sustainable footing.

“The NHS long-term workforce plan promises to deliver more care at home. A social care workforce plan could ensure we have enough staff in place – with better pay and terms and conditions – to meet growing demand.”

Nadra Ahmed, executive co-chairman of NCA and Chair of CPA, said: “International recruitment is a short term solution to a more long term and sustainable issue. We call on government to look at our sector as one which requires real investment to ensure that we can deliver the best quality of care to those who need it when they need it.”

Professor Vic Rayner, chief executive of the NCF, said: “The report shows that the workforce situation in social care remains critical. The small reduction in vacancies is a direct result of the fantastic contribution that our international colleagues have made to support the delivery of social care up and down the country. Over 70,000 workers have joined the English care workforce from other countries, and their presence is a contribution to be celebrated, whilst at the same time recognising it masks a further shrinking of the domestic workforce. The gaping strategic hole created by the absence of a funded workforce plan for social care could not be any clearer, and the government must take action now.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “With the number of people working in social care increasing and vacancies falling, things are heading in the right direction, but there’s still more to be done.

“The workforce are at the centre of the ‘Next Steps to Put People at the Heart of Care’ plan which is backed by £700million. This includes £250million for staff to develop their skills through relevant training and progress within their careers with the introduction of the Care Workforce Pathway.

“We are also making available £15million for 2023/24 to help local areas establish support arrangements for ethical international recruitment in adult social care.”