UK: Between 2011 and 2021, there was a 4.0% decline in the number of care home residents

There were 278,946 people aged 65 years and over living in a care home in England and Wales, accounting for 82.1% of all care home residents.

The proportion of the usual resident population aged 65 years and over living in a care home decreased from 3.2% in 2011 to 2.5% in 2021.

Within the 65 years and over care home population, 56.4% of residents were aged 85 years and over; this is a decrease from 2011, where 59.2% of residents were aged 85 years and over.

Female care home residents aged 65 years and over outnumber men, with 23 female residents to every 10 male residents; this is a decrease from 2011, when there were 28 female residents to every 10 male residents.

Since 2011, the proportion of care home residents living in homes with nursing has increased, while the proportion of those living in homes without nursing has decreased.

In 2021, the proportions of care home residents aged 65 years and over in very good, good, or fair health were higher than in 2011, while the proportions in very bad health or bad health were lower.

While most care home residents identified within the “White” ethnic group in 2021, the ethnic diversity of care home residents has increased slightly since 2011.
Higher proportions of the usual resident populations aged 65 years and over in the North East (2.9%) and North West (2.8%) were care home residents than in any other regions.

In 2021, there were 278,946 people aged 65 years and over living in care homes in England and Wales, accounting for 82.1% of all care home residents (excluding staff and family members).

Care home residents as a proportion of the population

Between 2011 and 2021, there was a 4.0% decline in the number of care home residents aged 65 years and over, while the total usual resident population in this age group rose by 20.0% over the same period. This means that the proportion of the older population residing in care homes has decreased over time, from 3.2% of the 65 years and over usual resident population in 2011 to 2.5% in 2021.

The biggest decrease in the proportion of the older population residing in care homes was among people aged 85 years and over, down from 13.7% in 2011 to 10.8% in 2021.

The proportion of the older population residing in care homes increases with age for both women and men. A slightly higher proportion of men aged 65 to 69 years and aged 70 to 74 years reside in care homes compared with the proportions of women in these age groups. In age groups from 75 years, higher proportions of women reside in care homes compared with men, with the differential increasing with age.

Age and sex profile of care home residents

The median age of the care home population aged 65 years and over has decreased slightly since 2011, from 86 years and 10 months to 86 years and 5 months in 2021.

In 2021, almost three-quarters of the older care home population (74.0%) were aged 80 years and over and more than half (56.4%) were aged 85 years and over. This represents a decrease in the proportions of care home residents at the oldest ages since 2011, when 78.6% of residents were aged 80 years and over and 59.2% were aged 85 years and over.

Male care home residents have a younger age profile than female residents, with higher proportions of men in age groups below 85 years and higher proportions of women than men in age groups 85 years and over. In 2021, the median age of female care home residents aged 65 years and over was 87 years and 10 months old compared with 82 years and 8 months old for males.

Sex ratios

Female care home residents aged 65 years and over outnumber men, with 23 female residents to every 10 male residents. This represents a decrease in the sex ratio from 2011, when there were 28 female residents to every 10 male residents.

In 2021, among residents aged 65 to 74 years, there were more male residents than female residents. However, this reverses from age 75 years, with more female residents than male with the gap increasing with age. This is a slight change from 2011, when there were higher proportions of females in all age groups except those aged 65 to 69 years old. At age 90 years and over, there were over four times as many female residents as male. This was a slight decrease from 2011, when there were five times as many female residents compared with males.