The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (the Social Care Council) has published new reports that show a unique insight on the economic and social value of the adult social care sector in Northern Ireland, alongside a UK-wide view.
This information will be used to inform the economic case for investment in the social care sector and the social care workforce. It will also inform policy-making and national spending review decisions on investment.
The total direct, indirect and induced value of the adult social care sector in the UK was £71.2 billion.
Economic and social value of the UK adult social care sector: Northern Ireland
Skills for Care and Development is an Alliance of key organisations in the UK and Ireland, that focuses on regulation and workforce development in social care, social work, and early years.
The Alliance has commissioned Alma Economics to analyse the adult social care sector’s economic and social value in the United Kingdom as a whole and in each of the four nations using data from 2022/23.
The findings inform the economic case for investment in the social care sector and its workforce in the UK as a whole (as well as having national breakdowns). It is also used to inform policy-making and national spending review decisions on investment.
Speaking about the importance of this milestone report for Northern Ireland, Declan McAllister, Interim Chief Executive, Social Care Council said:
“For almost every one of us, at some point we will need social care to be there to support us or a loved one. That is why the UK and Northern Ireland reports are so important. It provides an updated assessment of the economic and social benefits that accrue from the social care sector in Northern Ireland, and compares that across the UK.
“It is important that we recognise what this analysis is telling us. For example, it found that for every £1 invested in social care, a return of £2.82 in socioeconomic benefit is achieved for the community in Northern Ireland. The social care sector needs to be seen as a driver of economic activity in Northern Ireland. Employing the equivalent of 46,500 full time employees it is the largest health and social care workforce delivering care in Northern Ireland.
“Clearly, the social care sector plays an important role in creating a more prosperous, healthier and more inclusive place for us all to live.”
The total direct, indirect, and induced value of the adult social care sector in Northern Ireland was £1.5 billion which has increased from £820 million as reported in the Social Care Council Economic Value report 2017.
Download the report into the economic and social value of the Northern Ireland adult social care sector in 2023. Research undertaken by Alma Economics and prepared for Skills for Care and Development.
A summary report and an infographic, providing a visual representation of the economic value of the social care sector in Northern Ireland are also available.
Economic and social value of the UK adult social care sector: national breakdown
To view the economic and social value of the adult social care sector reports for the UK and for each of the devolved nations, please visit the Skills for Care and Development website.
For more information:
There is more data about the social work and social care workforce published here, including the report Assessing the Economic Value of the Adult Social Care Sector July (2017), which is the last time a the Social Care Council published a report on the economic value of the adult social care sector in Northern Ireland.
If you have a media query, please contact Rita McCullagh, Head of Strategic Communications and Engagement on: Rita.mccullagh@niscc.hscni.net (07874682049).