Older People
Demographics
The population aged 65 and over in Rotherham is estimated at 54,700 in 2025 and is projected to increase by around 14% to 62,400 by 2035, and by 16% to 63,300 by 2045. The largest increases are expected in the 80+ age groups, reflecting an ageing population (POPPI).
The number of adults aged 65+ living alone is predicted to reach 18,913 by 2035 and 19,844 by 2045, meaning that approximately 31% of older adults will live alone.
By 2035, it is estimated that there will be 7,588 older unpaid carers (aged 65+) in Rotherham, highlighting the growing reliance on informal care within families and communities. (POPPI and ONS data)
Support needs
There are approximately 3,864 older adults receiving service in Rotherham (May 2026 data).
In 2025 it is estimated that the number of adults aged 65 and over who need help with at least one self-care activity, is 12,667. This number is expected to increase by 15% to 14,518 by 2035, and by 23% to 15,575 by the year 2045 (POPPI).
- Nationally, diagnosed dementia prevalence is around 4.2–4.3% of the population aged 65 and over, based on primary care records. Dementia diagnosis rates in England remain below the national ambition target, with approximately 65–67% of expected cases currently diagnosed, compared to a target of 66.7%. Rotherham has historically performed above the national average for diagnosis, although local rates vary over time and should be interpreted using NHS England dementia profile data. (NHS England / gov.uk dementia profile, OHID Fingertips).
Key Messages for the Market
- In addition to promoting the delivery of quality support, the Council requires providers to be creative and innovative in the way existing and newly commissioned services deliver that support.
- The Council will continue to promote strength-based approaches and expand the utilisation of assistive technologies to support individual’s independence and offer the least restrictive option. The presence of assistive technologies will feature across provision from housing related support through to residential care homes.
- Providers will be required to support the progress towards an assets-based approach and, understand the local communities in which they operate, build relationships with key stakeholders, such as the community nursing teams, neighbourhood officers and social work teams.
- Partnership working with universal services will be encouraged and between commissioned providers to improve individual outcomes, as part of a strengths-based approach.
- Best practice within Adult Care, Housing and Public Health emphasises the maximisation of independence at all levels of acuity and achieving improved outcomes and value for money.
- Data shows that Rotherham has an established existing provider market for Older Adults with 1,631 independent sector residential and nursing beds in borough and around 12% vacant bed capacity in residential care and 7% in nursing care homes (2025/26) indicating a slight over-supply. However, demand projections indicate that Rotherham will need an increased supply of nursing care homes going forward, because of the ageing population and improved community support meaning individuals enter care at a higher level of acuity.
- The jointly funded (SYICB/RMBC) Integrated Community Equipment and Wheelchair Service will be recommissioned prior to the current contract end date of 31st March 2027. SYICB and the Council are currently in discussion regarding the details of the new service.
- The Council needs to develop a range of accommodation and support options to provide for the range of adult needs and offer choice in how that provision is delivered. This may include the increase of extra care housing, supported living and shared lives as well as potential new models of support such as care suites.
- The Council is an outlier in terms of its use of home care with significantly more usage than its comparator authorities. In 2027, Commissioners will undertake a review of the first five years operation of the Home Care and Support Flexible Purchasing System. This may result in a competitive exercise being undertaken to secure domiciliary care under a revised model to be implemented in 2028.
- The Borough that Cares All-Age Carers Strategy 2026 - 2031 launched in April 2026. First year action planning is underway which may lead to commissioning activity to secure any additional resources developed.
Service Provision and Commissioning Intentions
Older People Accommodation Based Services
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Service Type |
Brief Summary of Current Service(s) |
Capacity and Direction of Travel |
Commissioning Intentions |
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Residential Care Home |
The majority of care home provision is independently owned focusing on long term provision. The age of entry to care homes is increasing with an average of 84 years and length of stay at an average of 30 months. A few older people focused homes also accept adults under the age of 65. Short-term placements are also available across the independent sector. National and regional companies own 86% of the market, 9% is single ownership. 6% of provision (2 homes) is Council owned providing a total of 120 beds of which 30 are intermediate care (rehabilitation or reablement) and 15 are service flow beds to support hospital discharge and admission avoidance. |
1,695 beds across 33 care homes (residential, nursing and EMI) plus 2 Council run care homes (120 beds). Care home vacancies in 2024/25 are approximately 10%. Over-supply of residential and EMI residential beds. Under-supply of nursing and nursing EMI beds. |
To continue to support older adults with the most complex needs in care homes. To support all care homes to meet PAMMs and CQC standards to ensure Good or above ratings. A reprovision of residential beds to nursing and nursing EMI beds should be considered for some providers in dialogue with the Council. Support the priorities from the Framework for Enhanced Health in Care Homes including:
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Residential/EMI Care Home
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Nursing Care Home |
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Nursing/EMI Care Home |
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Intermediate Care |
The Intermediate Care Service is an integrated service which includes provision in a person’s own home and within short stay intermediate care beds. The service is working with nurses, social care, GPs, occupational therapy, physiotherapists and enablement teams to promote recovery from illness, prevent acute hospital admissions and premature admission to long term residential care, support timely discharge from hospital and maximise independent living. |
30 beds (in house residential care) plus service in own home (which is the Integrated Rapid Response and Enablement service). |
The Council work in partnership with The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust who provide therapy services for intermediate care. The capacity and demand exercise is currently being refreshed with the findings feeding into a community services review which is currently being scoped. |
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Extra Care Housing (ECH) |
Extra Care Housing combines independent community living in a safe secure environment with access to housing related support and personal care if/when required. In Rotherham ECH is based across three sites: Potteries Court, Swinton (35 units), Oaktrees (Stag) (20 units), and Bakersfield Court, Herringthorpe (53 units). Age eligibility is 55+. There is a dedicated team of housing support staff who work across the Extra Care Housing sites and care is delivered by contracted home care providers. |
108 units. Under-supply. |
The Council is keen to expand supported housing options for older adults including Extra Care. The Council would therefore welcome a dialogue with registered housing providers (RPs) regarding any potential opportunities for new housing and care provision. A review of existing provision will be undertaken to identify best practice and the most effective models of care and support. |
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Older People Community Care Services
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Service Type |
Brief Summary of Current Service(s) |
Capacity and Direction of Travel |
Commissioning Intentions |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Home Care and Support |
The Council and South Yorkshire ICB (Rotherham Place) operate a joint Flexible Purchasing System (FPS) arrangement. The FPS operates using a tiered approach. Tier 1 providers (9) are required to undertake at least 75% of the work in their geographic priority area. Tier 2 providers are utilised in the event of capacity shortfall in Tier 1.
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Capacity is in excess of current demand Small increase in demand |
To continue to support people to live independently in the community using a strength based model of provision. Although a growing and aging population, an increased enablement offer will reduce the need for ongoing home care, maximise independence and support demand management. To support people to remain at home wherever possible for those who are e.g. living with dementia, or who are at end of life. To undertake a review of the current model of delivery. |
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Home Enablement Service |
Enablement is a Council in-house service focused on short term intervention (for a period of up to 6 weeks) following a hospital admission. The focus is on enablement and supporting people to continue to live independently at home. |
Capacity not meeting demand Increase capacity/ efficiency. |
To continue to increase capacity within the service to meet the needs of people returning home from hospital. To reduce use of short-term residential care and the need/size of ongoing packages of care. |
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| Shared Lives |
Shared Lives is a CQC registered in-house service where adults spend time with approved shared lives carers and their families. There are a variety of placements and a mixture of support including:
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Older Adults including those living with dementia are underrepresented in this service type. Increase. |
The Council welcomes discussions with individuals wishing to register as shared lives carers. | ||||
| Personal Budget (Service) | Adults buy their own services using the personal budget determined by the Care Act Assessment. | Increase. | The Council supports the use of direct payments and personal assistants where appropriate to promote more flexible and personalised solutions and strength-based approaches. | ||||
| Personal Budget (Personal Assistant) | Adults employ a personal assistant to meet needs, following a care act assessment. | Increase. | |||||
Additional Community Support Services including for Older people
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Service Type |
Brief Summary of Current Service(s) |
Capacity and Direction of Travel |
Commissioning Intentions |
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Assistive Technology |
The Council’s assistive technology offer is intrinsic to a strength-based approach in supporting people towards independent living. People therefore do not require a Care Act Assessment to determine eligibility. A new technology enabled care delivery model under a collaborative approach between Rothercare (the Council’s community alarm service), and an independent sector technology partner began in April 2025. Rothercare continues to deliver the referral, triage, monitoring and mobile response service whilst the assistive technology elements (identification of assistive technology solutions, installation, recycling, disposal and maintenance and procurement of assistive technology equipment) are delivered by a technology partner from the independent sector. |
The current contracted provision will expand as required Increase. |
The current contract is in place until end March 2030 with an option to extend for further three years in one-year increments. |
