Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many care homes have closed since 23 November 2016.

In England, there were 16,481 care homes with 459,579 care home beds on 1 December 2016, and 16,411 care homes with 459,717 care home beds on 1 March 2017. This represents a reduction of 70 care homes but an increase of 138 care home beds.

The Care Act 2014 placed duties on local authorities making them responsible for ensuring there is an effective pool of quality providers of social care in their area with capacity to meet the needs of their local population. The Department is supporting local authorities to influence their local market through improved market facilitation and commissioning to ensure that local markets are effective.

The Department has worked with Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Local Government Association, the care sector and other partners to produce a wide range of guidance and support about market shaping and commissioning. We have brought this together in an on-line Hub that is now published on GOV.UK.

The Department continues to monitor capacity and effectiveness of the market.