4.1 Costs and caseloads

In 2024–25, 91 councils in England, Scotland and Wales supported 5,724 adults with care needs, families, and care leavers with no recourse to public funds at a collective cost of £94m. See figure 1 for a breakdown of costs by practice area and figure 2 for a breakdown of supported households by practice area.

2,873 families were supported with 5,266 dependants. We estimate that up to 4,696 children were supported, as 570 dependants were partners. See section 4.8.1 for information about the make-up of family households.

62 councils recorded data for adults with care needs, 82 councils recorded data for families, and 43 councils recorded data for children and care leavers.

For details of the costs and caseloads recorded by region, see the UK data and the data by region.

Figure 1: Collective costs by household-type

Figure 2: Households supported throughout the year

4.1.1 Average cost per household

The average cost per household has been calculated by dividing the total costs in 2024–25 by the number of households that received support, regardless of how long they were supported for throughout the year. Therefore, the average cost has also been calculated for households that were supported for at least 1,000 days.

Where an adult with care needs or family had been supported for at least 1,000 days, the average cost per household was significantly higher, reflecting the longer-term nature of support. See figure 3 for the average cost of support for an adult with care needs or family in 2024–25.

Figure 3: Average cost per household in 2024–25, by household type and duration of support

4.1.2 Costs breakdown

Property-related costs make up the most significant area of spend. These costs will primarily be temporary accommodation charges, which a council will have limited control over.

Person-related costs include subsistence payments made to people receiving support. Levels of financial support are determined by individual councils, in line with guidance provided by the courts regarding minimum rates and when uplifts will be required.

For the costs breakdown for adults with care needs, see figure 4. For the costs breakdown for families, see figure 5.

For more information about meeting needs by providing accommodation and subsistence, see our families practice guidance and adults practice guidance.

Figure 4: Costs breakdown for supported adults with care needs

Figure 5: Costs breakdown for supported families

4.2 Referrals

A local authority will record a request or referral for support as a ‘referral’ on NRPF Connect.

In 2024–25, the number of referrals recorded throughout the year for adults with care needs and families increased by 13% and 16%, respectively, compared to the previous year.

However, there had been a greater increase in referrals relating to adults with care and support needs between the years 2022–23 and 2023–24.

For referral numbers for adults with care needs, see figure 6. For referral numbers for families, see figure 7.

Figure 6: Number of referrals recorded for adults with care and support needs during each financial year, with percentage increase

Figure 7: Number of referrals recorded for families during each financial year, with percentage increase

4.3 Caseload volume

The number of supported households did not substantially increase throughout the year because the number of households that had their case closed offset the number of new households taken on for support.

Successes in case closures resulted in a reduction of 6 adults with care needs receiving financial support and a slight increase of 44 families receiving financial support from the start of the year to the end of the year.

For the number of new households take on for support and supported households closed during 2024–25, see figure 8. For the change in supported households across the year, see figure 9.

Figure 8: Number of new households taken on for support and supported households closed in 2024–25

Figure 9: Change in the number of supported households across the year

4.4 Immigration status of adults with care and support needs

‘No current immigration permission’, was the most common immigration status of adults with care needs who were provided with, or referred for, support in 2024–25. This group comprises of people without lawful status in the UK who do not have an asylum claim recorded by the Home Office.

Councils also supported a significant number of adults who were seeking asylum or were appeal rights exhausted (ARE) following an unsuccessful asylum claim, and adults who had leave to remain with an NRPF condition, with these groups making up 23% and 18% of adults receiving support, respectively.

Almost a fifth of the adults requesting or referred to adult social care for support had leave to remain with access to public funds, which suggests that there may have been a lack of awareness about their status and entitlements, or difficulties confirming their status.

A small proportion of people provided with support had pre-settled status or a pending EU Settlement Scheme application, and although have access to public funds, will only qualify for benefits when a ‘right to reside’ test is met. For more information about the right to reside test, see the NRPF Network website.

For the immigration status of adults with care needs who were supported or referred for support in 2024–25, see figures 10 and 11, respectively.

For information about how immigration status is recorded on NRPF Connect, see Appendix B. For a full breakdown of immigration status types, see the UK data.

Figure 10: Immigration status of adults with care needs receiving support in 2024–25

Figure 11: Immigration status of adults with care needs referred for support in 2024–25

4.5 Immigration status of families

For families, the immigration status of the lead parent or carer is reported.

‘No current immigration permission’ was the most common immigration status of families receiving support in 2024–25. This group comprises of people without lawful status in the UK who do not have an asylum claim recorded by the Home Office.

‘Leave to remain with NRPF’ was the most common immigration status of families that were referred for support and was the second most common immigration status of families provided with support.

A small proportion of families provided with support had pre-settled status or a pending EU Settlement Scheme application, and, although have access to public funds, will only qualify for benefits when a right to reside test is met. For more information about the right to reside test, see the NRPF Network website.

For the immigration status of families who were supported or referred for support in 2024–25, see figures 12 and 13, respectively.

For information about how immigration status is recorded on NRPF Connect, see Appendix B. For a full breakdown of immigration status types, see the UK data.

Figure 12: Immigration status of families receiving support in 2024–25

Figure 13: Immigration status of families referred for support in 2024–25

4.6 Time on support and long-standing cases

The average time on support for all households that were provided with accommodation and/or financial support at any point throughout 2024–25 was high, at:

• 880 days (just under 2.5 years) for adults with care needs
• 501 days (just under 1.5 years) for families

However, the average time on support varied depending on the type of immigration status that the adult or parent had.

Adults and families who had a pending or unsuccessful asylum claim, were likely to have been supported for a longer period than people with other types of immigration status, with adults supported for an average period of 1,000 days and families for 765 days.

Families with pre-settled status or a pending EU Settlement Scheme application were more likely to have been supported for a longer period than families with the remaining types of immigration status, with such families supported for an average of 593 days.

For the average number of days on support for adults with care needs or families, categorised by immigration status, see figures 14 and 15, respectively.

Figure 14: Average number of days on support for adults with care needs, categorised by immigration status

Figure 15: Average number of days on support for families, categorised by immigration status

When looking at time on support is is also necessary to examine the number and proportion of households receiving support on a long-term basis.

In 2024–25, a significant proportion of households had been receiving support for at least 1,000 days:

• 492 adults with care needs (30% of the total adults supported)
• 451 families (16% of the total families supported)

The proportion of households supported on a long-standing basis also varied depending on the type of immigration status that the adult or parent had.

Adults and families who had a pending or unsuccessful asylum claim, were more likely to have been supported for at least 1,000 days when compared to people with other types of immigration status. 42% of adults and 30% of families with a pending or unsuccessful asylum claim had been supported for an average period of 1,000 days.

The Home Office began a review of long-standing (1,000-day) cases in February 2025, as documented in section 5.3, but the results of the review will not be fully realised until after the report period.

For the proportion of adults with care needs and families who were supported on a long-term basis, as categorised by immigration status, see figures 16 and 17, respectively.

The data shows that the average time on support and proportion of households supported on a long-standing basis must be taken into account when considering how immigration status affects overall caseloads and costs. For example, although only 7% of adults and 12% of families receiving support had pre-settled status or a pending EUSS application, these groups experienced high average times on support with a substantial number of households being supported for at least 1,000 days.

Figure 16: Proportion of adults with care needs supported for at least 1,000 days, categorised by immigration status

Figure 17: Proportion of families supported for at least 1,000 days, categorised by immigration status

4.7 Case closures

A high proportion of households had their support ended and case closed due to a grant of leave to remain with access to public funds. However, local authority support is often required for lengthy periods before immigration claims are concluded and a transfer to benefits and mainstream housing is completed. Adults and families who had their support ended due to a grant to leave to remain were supported for an average period of 779 days and 479 days, respectively.

For the reasons that support was ended and cases were closed on NRPF Connect for adults with care needs and families, see figures 18 and 19, respectively.

Figure 18: Reason for ending support for adults with care needs who had their cases closed in 2024–25

Figure 19: Reason for ending support for families who had their cases closed in 2024–25

4.8 Family household make-up

4.8.1 Single-parent families

In 2024–25, single-parent households made up the majority of families receiving support from local authorities, with these households usually being female-led. This demonstrates that destitution risks arising from having no recourse to public funds are disproportionately high for female single-parents.

Figure 20: Supported families by household type

4.8.2 Families with British children

In 2024–25, 190 families had a British child in the household, making up a small but significant proportion (7%) of the total families receiving support.

A child being British is relevant as:

• Leave to remain can be granted to a parent on the basis of being the sole carer of a British child
• Parents with a British child qualify for help to buy healthy food, milk and vitamins for young children through the Healthy Start scheme  in England and Wales
• Councils must ensure that subsistence payments made to a family with a British child fully meet the child’s welfare needs and therefore cover more than the family’s essential living needs

There are likely to be other children receiving support who are entitled to register as British citizens but have not done so due to a lack of awareness of their entitlement, being unable to access free legal advice, difficulties paying the £1,214 registration fee, or not knowing about the application fee waiver policy. For more information about British citizenship for children, see the NRPF Network website.