Preparing for Winter: 2025–2026 Social Care Priorities

Adult woman caring for unwell senior mother has cold in living room

As winter approaches, the Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock, has written to local councils, adult social care providers, and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) with a clear message: building resilience across health and social care is vital to protect vulnerable people and support those working on the frontline.​

Focus on Prevention and Collaboration

The letter emphasises the importance of preventing avoidable hospital admissions and supporting timely discharge from hospitals. Local authorities are encouraged to work closely with NHS trusts and ICBs to ensure an integrated, system-wide approach to winter planning.
This includes proactive measures such as:

  • Creating contingency plans in case of significant flu or COVID-19 waves
  • Maintaining sufficient assessment capacity to prevent delays in discharge
  • Reducing hospital occupancy rates ahead of Christmas to relieve January pressures
  • Expanding and coordinating home-based and community care services to reduce admissions.​

The principle behind this strategy is clear: care should be home first whenever possible, ensuring people remain independent and supported within their communities rather than entering hospital unnecessarily.

Using Data and Innovation to Improve Outcomes

This year’s letter highlights the use of data and intelligence to support real-time system decisions, as part of the Better Care Fund Support Programme. Updated “High Impact Change Models” have been shared with councils and providers to help reduce preventable admissions and improve faster, more coordinated hospital discharges for people with dementia, delirium, or complex needs.​

Technology and better use of local data continue to play a key role in achieving joined-up, person-centred support, which benefits both individuals and carers during periods of peak demand.

Building Workforce and Service Resilience

The government acknowledges the significant contributions of social care teams, especially during winter months when pressures increase. The letter reinforces the need to maintain staffing levels, provide wellbeing support, and coordinate closely with voluntary and community organisations to ensure round-the-clock availability of support for those most at risk.​

What This Means for Home Care Providers

For home care providers, this winter plan is both a challenge and an opportunity. With a strong focus on community-based care, home care workers will play an essential role in keeping people safe, warm, and well at home—reducing emergency hospital demand and improving quality of life for clients who prefer the comfort of familiar surroundings.

Providers are encouraged to:

  • Review contingency arrangements for winter staffing and demand surges
  • Strengthen communication with local NHS and council partners
  • Use innovative digital tools to manage caseloads, monitor risks, and report changes efficiently
  • Promote vaccination uptake among staff and service users

These collective efforts aim to deliver a resilient winter response, ensuring that social care services continue to provide high-quality, compassionate care even under pressure.

Read the official publication on GOV.UK.

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