Public attitudes to the provision of adult social care in the UK

The UK government has launched a programme of work to support the adult social care sector. The measures aim to support thousands more people with disabilities to remain in their homes.

The immediate changes have included investment to improve homes and reduce hospitalisations, harnessing of care technology, and more support for care workers to take on further duties as well as plans for a digital platform to share information between the NHS and care staff.

Alongside these steps, the government has started work on plans for long-term reform of the sector. There are plans for this to include the creation of a national care service. First, the government will launch an independent commission into social care to be chaired by Baroness Louise Casey. The commission will work to build a national consensus on the way forward. Split into two phases, the first will identify critical issues and report in 2025, and the second will make longer-term recommendations for transformation and report in 2028.

Verian’s research took place between 8th and 14th April 2025, using our Public Voice random sample panel. Our restrictive method of panel-building provides benefits in terms of sample and data quality when compared to many other panels used in the UK for polling.  

We will be presenting further findings in a webinar unveiling key insights on public attitudes to the provision of adult social care in the UK. This event will provide valuable findings on our fast turnaround poll; looking at the public's understanding of the current care arrangements and their views on the future, including who the public thinks should be responsible for this provision and how it should be paid.   

Verian UK has previously held a public dialogue to explore public attitudes on care and support funding options to support the recommendations of the Dilnot Commission.

Verian UK has now carried out a fast turnaround poll of public attitudes to the provision of social care with a view to helping inform the debate on social care reform. 

Verian’s research reveals that six in ten (62%) Britons are concerned about how they will pay for any adult social care they may need when they are older. However, 85% of adults in the UK have not made any plans for how they would pay for any future adult social care costs.  

Key findings include: 

• Investing in social is not seen as a high priority for the UK government to tackle compared to other policy areas: 

• • Only 12% of Britons select investing more in social care as one of the top priorities for the UK government.  

• • The top three issues included reducing the cost of living (43%), investing more in NHS capacity (40%) and stricter border controls (35%). 

• Six in ten (62%) Britons are very concerned/concerned about how they will pay for care that they need when they are older. However, 85% have not made any plans for how they would pay for adult social care they may need in the future. 

• 63% of Britons favour national or local government being most responsible for the organisation of adult social care, rather than individuals and the private sector. 
  • Of those who thought the government should be responsible for organising adult social call, six in ten (59%) think national and local government should be jointly responsible. 22% think local government should be solely responsible and 19% think local government.  

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• Britons are divided on who should pay for adult social care, with half of Britons agreeing (50%) that it should be free for those who cannot afford to pay for it themselves, but those who can afford it should have to pay for their own care. 

Webinar details

On 29 May 2025, we held a webinar providing an overview and discussion of key findings from our fast turnaround poll of public attitudes to the provisions of social care - with a view to help inform the debate on social care reform. the implications were discussed by Verian experts, with guest speaker Sir Andrew Dilnot. 

Panellists include:

• Sir Andrew Dilnot
• Craig Watkins, UK CEO, Verian
• Lucy Joyce, UK Head of Policy and Implementation, Verian
• Ben Humberstone, UK Head of Population Studies, Verian

This event was aimed at those interested in the future of social care in the UK. We welcome those working in government, research councils, universities and local authorities and other public bodies. We also welcome think tanks, charities, journalists and any other organisations interested in hearing what the public thinks about these issues.