The report, CQC regulatory performance in homecare one year on, shows that 70.3% of community social care providers either have no rating at all (33.5%) or hold ratings more than four years old (36.8%). This marks a steep rise from 2024, when 60% of providers lacked up-to-date ratings.
The backlog has grown as the number of registered locations increased from 12,574 in June 2024 to 14,137 in August 2025. During that time, the number of uninspected providers rose by 64%, from 2,879 to 4,727.
Backlog Could Leave 9 in 10 Providers Unrated
Currently, only 29.7% of homecare services have up-to-date ratings. At the CQC’s present inspection rate of 81 per month, that figure could fall to 22% by 2030 and just 11% by 2035, leaving almost nine in ten services without a current independent quality assessment.
The Association says the CQC would need to increase its inspection throughput fivefold just to stop coverage from declining further, and by 8–14 times to clear the backlog within 3–12 months while maintaining a three-year review cycle.
Risks to People and Providers
The report warns that people with complex needs are at risk of harm from unchecked poor-quality care. Local authorities are also struggling: with a third of providers unrated, councils must choose between contracting with unassessed services or excluding them, which can squeeze good providers out of the market.
Strong Words from the Homecare Association
Dr Jane Townson OBE, Chief Executive of the Homecare Association, said:
“One year on, the picture is stark – the CQC is falling further behind in regulating homecare. People relying on care at home, their families and councils commissioning services cannot make safe, informed choices when most providers have no current rating and good providers are being squeezed out of the market in some places by cheap, unrated competitors.
At current rates, we are heading towards a future where 9 in 10 homecare services will lack a current quality rating. This is simply unacceptable for a sector supporting hundreds of thousands of people with complex needs.”
Call for Urgent Action
The Association has called for:
- Surge capacity to clear the inspection backlog
- An independent review of resources needed for effective regulation
- Greater transparency and accountability in CQC processes
The report follows the Government’s own review into the CQC’s operational effectiveness, led by Dr Penny Dash, which highlighted similar concerns in October 2024.
