The demand for care continues to grow as the population ages and more people require support with dementia, frailty and complex health conditions. However, providers are competing for candidates in a difficult labour market while also managing high staff turnover, rising costs and changes to international recruitment.

Here are six of the most important recruitment challenges facing the elderly care sector.

1. Competing on pay and benefits

Pay remains one of the biggest barriers to attracting care workers.

Many elderly care providers operate with limited budgets, making it difficult to compete with the NHS, retail, hospitality and other sectors. Candidates may be able to earn similar or better pay elsewhere without the emotional and physical demands associated with care work.

Salary is only one part of the employment offer. Candidates also consider guaranteed hours, paid travel time, sick pay, pensions, flexible working and predictable rotas.

Providers should clearly explain the complete package in every job advertisement. If career development, enhanced weekend pay or wellbeing support is available, it needs to be visible from the beginning.

2. High staff turnover

Recruitment becomes much harder when providers are repeatedly replacing people who leave.

Skills for Care estimated that staff turnover across adult social care in England was 23.1% in 2024/25—equivalent to approximately 335,000 people leaving their roles during the year.

High turnover places additional pressure on existing employees, increases recruitment costs and can affect continuity of care. It may also make it more difficult for residents and families to build trusted relationships with carers.

Retention should therefore begin during recruitment. Candidates need an accurate understanding of the role, the working environment and what will be expected of them.

A supportive induction, regular management contact, reliable rotas and a structured first 90 days can help new employees settle into their roles.

3. Reduced international recruitment

International recruitment has played an important role in supporting the UK care workforce.

However, the number of people entering direct-care roles from overseas was already falling before the care-worker visa route closed to new overseas applications in July 2025. Skills for Care estimated that international recruitment into direct-care roles fell from 105,000 people in 2023/24 to 50,000 in 2024/25.

Providers must now place greater emphasis on domestic recruitment.

This could include working with colleges, supporting apprenticeships, attracting career changers and creating opportunities for people returning to employment. Local referral programmes can also encourage existing employees to introduce suitable candidates.

4. Location and working patterns

Care services must recruit employees where support is needed, but those locations do not always have a strong supply of available workers.

Rural care homes may struggle to attract candidates without access to a car. Domiciliary care workers can face extensive travel, unpaid gaps between visits and split shifts. Night work and weekend rotas can further reduce the number of interested applicants.

In 2024/25, domiciliary care services recorded a vacancy rate of 9.7%, compared with 4.4% in residential care.

Providers can improve recruitment by offering predictable rotas, paying travel expenses, grouping community visits geographically and being transparent about shift patterns. Advertising roles within local communities can also be more effective than relying entirely on national job boards.

5. Finding the right skills and values

Elderly care requires much more than technical ability.

Care workers need patience, empathy, communication skills and emotional resilience. They may support people living with dementia, manage safeguarding concerns or provide comfort to individuals approaching the end of their lives.

Recruitment processes must assess both competence and values.

Scenario-based interview questions can help employers understand how candidates might respond to realistic care situations. Providers should also explain the training available, including induction, the Care Certificate and opportunities to gain recognised qualifications.

Hiring people with the right values and providing high-quality training can be more effective than looking only for candidates with previous care experience.

6. Slow recruitment processes

Good candidates are often applying to several employers simultaneously.

Complicated application forms, delayed interview decisions and poor communication during background checks can cause candidates to withdraw or accept another offer.

A shorter, mobile-friendly application process can increase completion rates. Providers should acknowledge applications quickly, arrange interviews promptly and keep candidates informed while references and compliance checks are completed.

Even when checks take time, regular communication helps candidates remain engaged and demonstrates how the organisation treats its employees.

Building a stronger care workforce

There is no single solution to the recruitment challenges facing elderly care. Providers need to connect attraction, selection, onboarding and retention as parts of one workforce strategy.

The strongest employers will be those that offer more than a vacancy. They will provide candidates with a clear picture of the role, dependable working conditions, supportive management and a realistic opportunity to develop their careers.

In a sector built on trusted relationships, the candidate experience is the first indication of how an organisation values its people.