AQW 41814/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the amount spent on the provision of social care for older people, in each of the last five years, broken down by (i) Health and Social Care Trust; and (ii) the element of care provided, including care package, nursing home placement, residential home placement or other.
Asked by Danny Donnelly MLA on 4 March 2026
- Answered
- Written
- After due date
- Tabled
- 4 March 2026
- Answer due by
- 20 March 2026
- Answered
- 6 April 202633 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
Answer
Table 1 below presents the total cost of personal social services for the Elderly Programme of Care broken down by HSC Trust for the last five years:
| Trust | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
| £’m | £’m | £’m | £’m | £’m | |
| Belfast HSCT | 164.1 | 169.2 | 192.0 | 218.7 | 233.8 |
| Northern HSCT | 197.3 | 203.4 | 221.1 | 252.1 | 275.1 |
| South Eastern HSCT | 143.9 | 148.4 | 176.9 | 199.9 | 219.2 |
| Southern HSCT | 138.5 | 142.8 | 154.6 | 179.8 | 183.8 |
| Western HSCT | 122.3 | 126.1 | 135.4 | 147.9 | 159.3 |
| Grand Total | 766.1 | 789.9 | 880.0 | 998.5 | 1,071.3 |
Table 1: Costs of Elderly Personal Social Services by Trust 2020/21 – 2024/25
Table 2 below presents the total cost of personal social services for the Elderly Programme of Care broken down by Nursing Homes, Residential Homes, Homecare Packages and Other, for the last five years:
| Category | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
| £’m | £’m | £’m | £’m | £’m | |
| Home Care | 230.0 | 237.2 | 290.5 | 313.8 | 335.1 |
| Nursing Home Packages | 277.4 | 286.0 | 290.8 | 359.3 | 410.0 |
| Other Personal Social Services | 155.9 | 160.8 | 197.3 | 197.9 | 188.3 |
| Residential Care Packages | 102.8 | 106.0 | 101.4 | 127.6 | 138.0 |
| Grand Total | 766.1 | 789.9 | 880.0 | 998.5 | 1,071.3 |
Table 2: Costs of Elderly Personal Social Services by Service 2020/21 – 2024/25
Note: figures may not add due to rounding