Friday July 31st 2026
Glasgow City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Catherine Hunter
The number of people still waiting on a social care assessment in Glasgow has risen slightly since the beginning of the year according to reports.
Data collected by Public Health Scotland (PHS) has revealed that the number of people in Scotland (all areas submitted) waiting on an assessment for a package of care was 6,600 at the beginning of July compared to 6,813 the previous year.
Meanwhile the number of people in Scotland (all areas submitted) assessed and waiting for a care at home package was 3,001 on 6 July 2026 compared to 3,096 in July 2025.
A graph produced by PHS shows that the number of people waiting for a social care assessment in Glasgow has risen from 1,030 January 2026 to 1,104 by July 2026.
The figure sat at 1,067 in March this year but dropped again to 1,031 the following month. It increased again to 1,077 in April, lowered to 1,021 in June before increasing slightly in July.
Local authorities provide social care services to enable people to live independently and at home or in a homely setting in their community.
This can include people who are frail, have long term conditions or disabilities with packages supporting people with personal care as well as other tasks around the house such as cleaning or meal preparation.
Care at Home services are planned by Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), and are delivered through local authority in-house teams, independent providers and the Third Sector.
Each HSCP plans its services based on the needs of the local population and on the existing support services available in the local authority, such as housing services meaning that the type of services that come under the heading of ‘Care at Home’ varies across the country.
A spokesperson for the Glasgow HSCP said: “We remain committed to ensuring people receive assessments as quickly as possible, while supporting those most in need as a priority.
“These figures represent the number of people awaiting a social care assessment and should not be interpreted as a waiting list for care at home services.
“As Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow has a high volume of people seeking assessment and support. Coupled with a growing population of older people and residents living with long-term health conditions, this creates significant demand for social care services and support.”
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