More than 30,000 people in England died last year while awaiting the arrangement of social care packages by local councils, according to newly released data. The figures highlight ongoing challenges within the social care system, where demand exceeds available support, particularly for frail and elderly individuals, many of whom suffer from dementia.

Analysis of NHS data by the Liberal Democrats indicates that since 2020, approximately 167,900 people have died while waiting for local authorities to organize care packages such as placements in care homes—processes that can take several months. Over half of all requests for social care assistance are rejected. In the 2024-25 period alone, there were 30,845 deaths among individuals waiting for care, including some 9,000 patients who had been hospitalized within the NHS. Additionally, 3,080 working-age disabled adults died last year while awaiting care packages.

Baroness Casey of Blackstock, leading an independent review into social care, described the system as effectively “gatekeeping people away from receiving care,” often leaving them with no support until a crisis occurs. Her review also found that the number of older adults receiving long-term publicly funded support has halved over the past two decades, a trend she attributed not to demographic shifts but to reduced access to care for the elderly.

Since 2020, 55 percent of care requests have been denied, affecting more than five million people. Many of those turned away—about 2.6 million—were provided only with information and advised to seek help from general practitioners, charities, or community NHS services instead of receiving direct social care.

The funding model for council-supported care remains means-tested, with eligibility limited to those holding assets below £23,250. Despite social care consuming nearly 80 percent of councils’ daily budgets, authorities have increasingly tightened access criteria in response to resource constraints.

Against this backdrop, Andy Burnham announced plans to establish a national care service, a proposal welcomed by Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, who pledged to collaborate on reform efforts. Alison Bennett, the party’s spokesperson for care and carers, characterized the situation as a “national emergency” marked by the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, including 17,000 disabled adults, who waited for care that never came.

Michelle Dyson, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, emphasized the urgent need to enhance care and support for individuals living with dementia and similar conditions, describing the figures as “shocking.”

The human impact of these challenges is brought into sharp relief by cases such as that of Geoff and Jane Atkinson. After Geoff was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2018, the couple encountered significant difficulties obtaining publicly funded care. Despite Geoff’s increasingly severe condition—including incontinence, frequent falls, and wandering—the couple initially did not qualify for council support. Forced to rely on personal savings of £400,000 to cover £2,000 weekly care home fees, they exhausted those funds last year. Local authority and NHS funding applications were initially denied.

Atkinson described navigating the system as a “fog of forms and spreadsheets” and noted that Geoff’s dementia, being a brain condition rather than a physical illness, was cited as a reason for his ineligibility. Although the council eventually agreed to contribute to care fees this year, Atkinson still faces a weekly shortfall of £600, raising concerns about affordability. She expressed cautious hope that planned reforms might benefit future generations, even if not herself.

As demands on social care continue to rise with an aging population, these data and personal stories underscore the pressing need for comprehensive policy solutions to address systemic gaps in care provision.