Care home vacancies have fallen slightly, but a sharp decline in international recruitment is raising concern about future staffing, according to CQC’s latest State of Care report.
Published on 23 October, the report examines health care and adult social care in England during 2025/26. It shows progress in retaining staff, alongside continuing difficulties in filling shifts.
The average care home staff vacancy rate fell from 4.8% to 4.6% over the year. That leaves almost one in 20 roles unfilled.
Homecare services saw no further reduction. Their vacancy rate remained at 9%, having fallen from 11% in 2023/24 to 9% the following year. Almost one in 10 homecare roles remained vacant.
Staff turnover also fell. In care homes, it averaged just over 23%, nearly two percentage points lower than the previous year. Homecare turnover dropped from 21% to 19% between 2023/24 and 2025/26.
CQC highlights the disruption that changes in staff can cause to continuity and the relationships people build with those supporting them.
The report’s findings show what a settled workforce can offer. In services where staffing was managed well, people described receiving consistent support from staff who knew them. Providers matched staff to people’s needs and allowed enough time for homecare visits, including travel between them.
Maintaining that consistency could become more difficult as recruitment from overseas falls. CQC cites Skills for Care estimates showing that international recruitment into social care dropped from 105,000 in 2023/24 to 50,000 in 2024/25, then to just over 30,000 in 2025/26.
International staff have played an important part in reducing vacancies. CQC warns that the continued decline in recruitment could increase pressure on a workforce already facing growing demand.
For providers who have built teams with colleagues from overseas, retaining that experience is important. An established team member may know how someone communicates distress or which approach helps them feel comfortable. Replacing that knowledge takes time, even after an empty vacancy has been filled.
The fall in vacancies is encouraging but the recruitment difficulties are not over. In homecare, the vacancy remained unchanged in 2025/26, even as staff turnover continued to fall.
At Halo Staffing, we support health and social care providers with temporary and permanent recruitment. If filling a shift is taking longer than expected, we can help with additional cover. To discuss staffing support for your service, please call our friendly team on 0800 368 9644 or email [email protected]
