The purpose of the Peterborough Local Account is to provide information on where Peterborough City Council Adult Social Care are doing things well, where we and our partners think we can improve and how we are planning for the opportunities and challenges ahead. The Local Account is regularly updated.
It includes feedback that we have received through surveys carried out and updates on priorities co-produced with our Adult Social Care partnership boards and other experts by experience groups/networks.
Co-producing a vision for Peterborough
We are committed to co-producing a vision for Peterborough residents health or social care needs. Key to this is our system wide co-production commitment supported by Sun Network, embedding the core principles of Making It Real.
Introduction from Stephen Taylor, Executive Director of Adult Social Care and Commissioning
Welcome to the latest Local Account for Peterborough. It explains what Adult Social Care is doing well, what we need to improve and how we are responding to the opportunities and challenges ahead. Peterborough continues to grow and change, and our focus remains on helping people live well, stay independent and have choice and control over their lives.
Over the past year, we have continued to strengthen the way we work with people, provide support, keep people safe and lead our services. We are very proud that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our Adult Social Care services as good. This rating reflects the commitment, care and hard work of our staff, and I would like to thank everyone who helped us achieve it. We are also proud of the progress made through co-production, reablement, community support, safeguarding and closer work with health, voluntary and community partners. Better information and digital tools are helping us improve records, reduce administration and give staff more time to work directly with people.
We know there is more to do. Our priorities include reducing waiting times, improving reviews and support for carers, strengthening provider quality and making changes between services smoother. We will keep listening to people who draw on support, carers, staff and partners, and use their experiences to shape what happens next. By working together, we want to make sure Adult Social Care is fair, safe, joined up and focused on what matters most to each person.
Some information about the budget for Adult Social Care and also some figures about activity.
Total budget
Adult Social Care total budget for 2024/2025 was £74.5m.
Budget breakdown
Main budget areas were:
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Staffing for social care teams and care provision - £9.7m
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Contracts for services budget - £6.8m
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Care packages - £64.8m (net of income)
Income
Income received from grants, NHS and client contributions includes £8.8m from the Better Care Fund (BCF) and other external funding. Additionally, £11.9m from care charges and £7.8m from health contributions to care packages.
Local care providers
In 2026, there were 22 care homes in Peterborough. 81% of care homes who have been inspected in Peterborough are rated as 'good' or 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
No care homes in Peterborough are currently rated as 'inadequate'.
Four care homes are rated as 'requires improvement' and one home does not currently have a rating from CQC.
In 2026, there were 13 residential homes in Peterborough which support adults with learning disabilities or have other specialist needs. These are typically smaller homes between 5 and 15 beds. 100% of the homes who have been inspected in Peterborough are rated as 'good' or 'outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
No specialist residential homes in Peterborough are currently rated as 'inadequate'.
One home does not currently have a rating from CQC.
Early intervention, prevention and wellbeing
This means supporting people early with targeted information and advice and low-level and community support and Technology Enabled Care. This is to prevent or delay the need for long-term care and support. The following are total annual figures for 2025/26:
- The Adult Early Help Team handled over 36,000 contacts.
- We triaged 1815 referrals for Occupational Therapy of which 945 progressed to an Occupational Therapy assessment
- 913 referrals were made to the Handyperson Service
- There were 300 people who received TEC assessments or specialist support and there were 245 loans of TEC equipment
- We undertook 1747 carers conversations to offer support and advice
- 190 people received sensory support rehab and assessment.
- 493 people in the community were triaged to the Reablement service and 452 completed Reablement.
In relation to people leaving hospital:
The following are total annual figures for 2025/26.
- 2490 referrals were received by our Transfers of Care Team from the hospital to support discharge 1410 of these were for people new to social care
- 707 people were triaged for Reablement and 488 completed Reablement
- 428 carers conversations were held
- 336 first Care Act assessments were carried out resulting in 289 being discharged with a care and support plan
- 1080 referrals were received by our Transfers of Care Team from the hospital to support discharge for people with existing care and support plans.
Long-term care and support keeps people connected to their communities
The following are total annual figures for 2025/26:
- 546 new Care Act assessments recorded an outcome of long-term care
- 2930 people were supported with long-term care and support - the majority of these (79%) received support to remain in their own homes
- We carried out 1912 planned reviews, 188 unplanned reviews and 450 reassessments
- 671 people received support via a Direct Payment.
Adults at risk are safeguarded from harm in ways that meet their desired outcomes
The following are total annual figures for 2025/26:
- 2423 adult safeguarding concerns were received and processed
- 812 safeguarding enquiries were completed
- In 96% of cases the risk was reduced or removed
- In 88% of cases the person was asked what outcome they wanted to achieve and in 98% of these cases the desired outcomes were met.
Strategic Performance Outcomes
Adult Social Care has three Strategic Performance Outcomes:
- Early intervention and prevention - supporting people early with targeted information and advice and low level and community support, technology enabled care and reablement services. The aim is to prevent or delay the need for long term care and support
- Long term care and support when needed is personalised and keeps people connected to their communities
- Adults at risk are safeguarded from harm in ways that meet their desired outcomes
Each of these outcomes has key performance indicators which are detailed below.
Early Intervention and Prevention
Key Performance Indicators:
Percentage of new client contacts for Adult Social Care which result in Care Act Assessment:
The performance for 2023/24 was 20.5%
The target for 2024/25 is 17.8%
Current position for 2024/25 is 16.2%
Our aim for 2024/25 is to maintain our preventative offer, even given increasing demand, so that we do not see an increase in % of contacts leading to long term care and support
Percentage of people who find that information and advice is easily accessible
Position for 2023/24 was 68.9%.
Target for 2024/25 is 70%.
Our aim for 2024/25 is to co-produce and deliver on an action plan to improve accessibility of information, with an initial focus on implementing a digital app for carers.
Percentage of people receiving reablement who did not require long term support
Position for 2023/24 was 81.8%.
The target for 2025/25 is 77.5%.
Current position for 2024/25 is 82.8%.
The reason we have reduced the target for 2024/25 is to widen the availability of reablement to include those who may continue to have long term needs, but can still be supported to do more things for themselves.
Number of carers assessed or reviewed per 100,000 population
The performance for 2023/24 was 142.6 per 100,000
Target for 2024/25 is 202 per 100,000
Current position for 2024/25 is 169.3 per 100,000
Our aim is to offer more carers assessments and carers breaks to those who will benefit.
Long term care and support
Key performance indicators
Percentage of people accessing long term support in the community aged 65+
Position for 2023/24 was 66.8%.
Target for 2024/25 is 68%.
Current position for 2024/25 is 67.1%
Our aim is to maintain our focus on 'home first' and supporting people to remain in their own homes.
Number of new permanent residential admissions 65+
Position for 2023/24 was 673.37 per 100,000
Target for 2024/25 is 550 per 100,000
Current position for 2024/25 is 558 per 100,000
Our aim is to ensure this is only the pathway for those who really do require this level of care and support.
Safeguarding
Percentage of safeguarding enquiries where people expressed outcomes
Position for 2023/24 was 89.1%
Target for 2024/25 is 85%.
Current position for 2024/25 is 77.8%.
Percentage of safeguarding enquiries where outcomes were achieved
Position for 2023/24 was 96%
Target for 2024/25 is 95%.
Current position for 2024/25 is 98.7%.
Percentage of safeguarding enquiries where risk was reduced or removed
Position for 2023/24 was 96%
Target for 2024/25 is 95%.
Current position for 2024/25 is 98.7%.
Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF)
The Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) measures how well care and support services achieve the outcomes that matter most to people.
The ASCOF is used both locally and nationally to set priorities for care and support, measure progress and strengthen transparency and accountability. The latest published figures are for 2024/25.
In respect of the data based ASCOF metrics Peterborough performs comparatively well against all 153 Councils in respect of the following:
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Proportion of service users and carers receiving self-directed support – rank 1
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Quality of Life for carers – rank 14
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Percentage of people receiving direct payments was not ranked for 24/25.
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Carers who find it easy to find information about services and / or support – rank 39
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Percentage of carers who had as much social contact as they would like – rank 43
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The percentage of people with a learning disability aged 18-64 who were supported to live in their own home or with family – rank 57
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Overall satisfaction of carers – rank 50
Areas where Peterborough performs comparatively less well are:
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The percentage of people completing reablement who were still home after 91 days – rank 81
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The percentage of people who feel safe – rank 86
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The proportion of carers who receive direct payments – was not ranked for 2024/25
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Percentage of people who felt they had as much social contact as they would like – rank 91
The Adult Social Care Forum is a group that talks about health and social care issues in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
The Forum looks at key themes raised by the Adult Social Care Partnership Boards and expert by experience groups and uses this information to help make local services better.
The Forum agrees actions to help this to happen.
The Forum is chaired by the two Heads of Adult Social Care Commissioning for Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council and has members from:
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The five Adult Social Care Partnership Boards
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SUN Network
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Counting Every Adult co-production group
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Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
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Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council
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Health organisations
The Forum has drafted four priority area for 2026-27:
Priority 1: Concerns about digital exclusion and the impact this has on people's ability to access health and social care services.
Priority 2: To improve co-production of information and services with wider groups of people, including how to be more creative in engaging with seldom heard groups, people living with dementia and their families and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Priority 3: Concerns about access to health services - especially GP practices and hospitals.
Priority 4: Concerns about access to transport provision - especially related to access to health services.
Priorities means a list of things that are important.
The Forum uses a shared action plan to carry out work on these priorities.
Priority 1: Concerns about digital exclusion and the impact this has on people's ability to access health and social care services.
- Identify the reasons for digital exclusion.
- Improve the way adult social care organisations share information and advice with people who are digitally excluded.
- Support people to book appointments digitally.
- Improve digital safety.
- Challenge health service approach to digital communications.
- Improve digital access and tackle digital exclusion.
Priority 2: To improve co-production of information and services with wider groups of people, including how to be more creative in engaging with seldom heard groups, people living with dementia and their families and those from ethnic minority backgrounds.
- Increase representation from seldom heard groups.
- Promote co-production opportunities.
- Share examples of good co-production activities.
Priority 3: Concerns about access to health services - especially GP practices and hospitals.
- Improve access to health buildings.
- Improve access to GP appointments and services.
Priority 4: Concerns about access to transport provision - especially related to access to health services.
- Help strengthen relationships between health and transport services.
- Improve patient experience of travelling to appointments.
- Reduce financial barriers to accessing healthcare services.
- Support disability awareness training.
The Forum had three shared annual priorities for 2025-26:
Priority 1: Concerns about the accessibility of services, including accessible information and advice, accessibility of buildings and access to local service provision.
Priority 2: Managing change and the communication of change, including the Local Government Reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, changes to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System, the introduction of the NHS 10-year plan and changes to the benefits system.
Priority 3: Gaining feedback in mental health services to identify gaps and recommissioning mental health preventative services in Cambridgeshire and in Peterborough to meet needs.
Priority 1: This priority is concerned about accessibility of:
- Information and advice from and Peterborough City Council (PCC) and Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC)
- GP websites and other types of health information
- Health and social care buildings
- Local service provision either regulated or commissioned by PCC or CCC for example: taxi services, day opportunities and care micro-enterprises
Forum members have:
- Been working with the NHS around Care Education Treatment Reviews and the Dynamic Support Register. This has included helping to create an accessible webpage explaining what the Reviews are and what the Dynamic Support Register is and reviewing an Easy Read poster and some videos.
- Attended the Learning Disability Partnership Health sub-group in November and presented about the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Accident & Emergency (A&E) access visit.
- Donated money towards a buzzer system at Addenbrooke’s Hospital .
- Attended the National Development Team for Inclusion co-production workshops on day opportunities.
- Run several Coffee with a Cop sessions at day services to improve people with lived experience's relationship with the police and to give the police more exposure to people with a learning disability and/or autism.
- Attended the co-produced Police Body Cam footage scrutiny panel. This included reviewing 2 pieces of body cam footage showing police interactions with people with lived experience of autism and/or a learning disability. Then discussing the actions of the police and what they thought could have been done better or differently. They were also able to give some very helpful feedback on their website.
- Accompanied the Head of Assurance and Transformation on a visit to Orchard Manor to support transitions improvement work.
- Added new ‘How we work’ and ‘Paying for Care’ webpages to the CCC website following development work with people with lived experience and partner organisations.
- Helped to develop a Reasonable Adjustments Policy, which was approved at Committee in October 2025.
- Engaged with work on an update to CCC’s Accessible Information and Communications Policy.
- Worked with CCC to co-produce a new commissioning model for day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities.
- Took part in a multi-agency Community Transport Service Evaluation led by the CCC Public Health Team.
- Supported the move of PCC's Adult Social Care information from the Peterborough Information Network directory to the main PCC website to make it more accessible.
- Helped PCC staff with their ‘Gloriously Ordinary Language’ programme to make their website content and communications more accessible.
- Helped to test a chatbot for the PCC website.
- Assisted PCC to set up a monthly Adult Social Care Accommodation Panel to review all new development proposals from providers which has included making sure all proposed site plans and specifications meet housing standards, including fully accessible dwellings.
- Been involved with a 3-year subscription to be part of the Safe Places national network.
- Worked with the Speak Out teams in Cambridgeshire and in Peterborough to produce better Easy Read information.
- Been working with the local hospital trusts to highlight issues on their websites, apps and with other communication (such as letters).
- Been referring accessible information issues with health services to Healthwatch England and raising the issues with the local Integrated Neighbourhood Boards.
- Had the support of the Carers Partnership Board members in the development of the Bridgit carers support app offered by both councils.
- Worked with taxi licencing teams in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to improve accessibility.
- Taken part in a Taxi Test Purchase Exercise in Cambridge related to assistance dogs.
- Been working with local hospital trusts to highlight building access issues including problems with access to disabled parking and hospital transport.
- Held a Youthwatch Autism Workshop to highlight the challenges faced by young people in accessing GP services.
- Taken wellbeing posters produced by the Sun Network to GP surgeries, community and health settings.
- Regularly posted about the Keep Your Head and How Are You Cambridgeshire and Peterborough websites highlighting different services.
- Been raising issues with accessing mental health and drug and alcohol services with health organisations.
- Carried out a survey on primary healthcare for the homeless and people with experience of multiple disadvantage in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
- Continued work with the Emergency Department at Addenbrooke’s Hospital to improve the experience of people with experience of multiple disadvantage accessing their services.
- Run a workshop to codesign the training for health navigators supporting the homeless population with cancer awareness.
Priority 2: This priority is about keeping people informed and engaged in the major changes affecting adult social care, including:
- The Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) taking place across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire
- Changes to the Integrated Care System
- The Government's 10-year Health Plan
- Changes to the national benefits system
Forum members have:
- Reviewed the large surveys and information produced by CCC for the local consultations on Local Government Reorganisation and helped improve the Easy Read versions.
- Been involved in the co-production of ‘We’ Statements based around transitions for the proposed changes to the Integrated Care Board (ICB).
- Visited Switch Now in St Neots to gather information about people's knowledge and experience of direct payments.
- Shared the proposed closure of Healthwatch England and the Healthwatch branch network with the Partnership Boards network.
- Shared regular updates about the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan with the Partnership Boards network.
- Received talks at the Learning Disability Partnership Board from Disability Huntingdonshire (DISH) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) .
- Continued to receive DWP updates at Partnership Board Meetings.
- Received information on benefits and support with the cost-of-living within the Partnership Boards Weekly Wrap-up Newsletter from Healthwatch.
- Received regular information about the Local Government Reorganisation process in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
- Received Local Government Reorganisation information in alternative formats and Easy Read information where possible.
- Shared links and news about changes to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System.
- Received regular updates of the meetings held between Healthwatch and the Councils regarding the proposed closure of Healthwatch England and the Healthwatch branch network.
- Received a list of local and national sources of support and information to help with benefit applications and income maximisation.
- Received updates and consultations related to Local Government Reorganisation, health system changes (locally and nationally) and benefits system information when received.
Priority 3: this priority is about identifying and providing mental health services and includes:
- The co-production and recommissioning of mental health preventative services across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.
- Raising awareness of the gaps and inequalities of access to local mental health services across health partners in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.
- To escalate feedback on local mental health services to local commissioners, providers and social work teams across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.
Forum members have:
- Attended an annual summit hosted by Healthwatch ‘Mental Health – Closing the Gaps’ and received the published the summit report.
- Taken part in a survey about young people’s access to mental health services and their transitions between mental health services and received a report of their findings.
- Set up a new Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Dementia Panel, which has had quarterly meetings.
- Received feedback about Healthwatch's monthly patient experience reports.
- Receive monthly reports from the SUN Network on people’s feedback about their experiences of mental health services.
- Been involved in ‘mystery shopper’ activities at the ‘Good Life’ cafes across the county to support CCC’s recommissioning of mental health preventative services.
- Visited sites within the CCC commissioned mental health supported accommodation services to hear the views of people with lived experience.
- Supported the SUN Network's engagement events with stakeholders involved with the CCC mental health one-to-one support service to understand people’s experiences of the service over the last few years to help shape the service in the future.
- Been involved in activities by the Councils to support the recommissioning of mental health preventative services.
- Taken part in a focus group supporting a review of local Community and Mental Health Services.
- Taken part in mental health research led by the Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.
There are a wide range of ways in which we capture your views.
If you go through our Reablement Service you will receive a questionnaire at the end of your service. Your comments are vital for us to improve our services.
Peterborough City Council also participates in a number of national surveys.
You can find out more on the National Personal Experience Survey page.
You can find out more on the Survey of Adult Carers page.
What we are proud of
- We use people’s strengths, goals and preferences to shape support, helping them maintain choice, control and independence.
- We have strengthened co-production, carers’ involvement and accessible information, including plain English content, multilingual formats and community-based support.
- Our prevention work is helping people get support earlier through reablement, technology, community services and
What we are working to make better
- Reducing waiting times for Care Act and occupational therapy assessments, while keeping people informed and safe while they wait.
- Improving the consistency of reviews and making sure people’s voices, communication needs and desired outcomes are clearly recorded.
- Collecting and using better equality information so we can identify and address differences in access, experience and outcomes.
What we are proud of
- Reablement and community-based support are helping many people remain independent and avoid or reduce long-term care.
- We have improved supported living, with better-quality accommodation and a clearer pipeline of homes designed around people’s needs.
- Strong partnerships with health, voluntary and community organisations are giving people and carers a wider range of joined-up support.
What we are working to make better
- Increasing access to short breaks and improving support for carers at risk of breakdown.
- Strengthening oversight of provider quality and acting earlier where services are unrated, unstable or need improvement.
- Improving continuity between services so people do not experience gaps, repeat their story or receive inconsistent support.
What we are proud of
- Safeguarding is focused on what matters to the person: 97.7% of recorded outcomes were fully or partly achieved and 93.5% of identified risks were reduced or removed.
- We have strong oversight through specialist safeguarding triage, audits, safeguarding huddles, quality panels and multi-agency working.
- Hospital discharge and reablement pathways are performing well, helping people return home safely and avoid unnecessary hospital stays.
What we are working to make better
- Asking and recording people’s desired safeguarding outcomes consistently in every relevant case.
- Improving planning for young people moving into adulthood, including earlier identification, stronger information sharing and more joined-up support.
- Continuing to manage risks linked to waiting lists, rising demand, provider quality and changes between services or care settings.
What we are proud of
- We have clear governance that brings together quality, performance, finance and risk through one Assurance and Development Plan.
- Our nationally recognised digital transformation is reducing administration, improving records and giving practitioners more time to work directly with people.
- Leaders use audits, performance information, staff feedback, co-production and people’s experiences to identify issues and drive improvement.
What we are working to make better
- Showing more clearly what difference each major programme makes to people, carers, fairness, the workforce and financial sustainability.
- Responding to rising demand, overdue reviews and workforce pressures across the wider care market.
- Maintaining clear leadership, accountability and service continuity through local government reorganisation and other organisational change.