People face a postcode lottery for social care with families "left in limbo", according to new research. The time for councils to arrange care packages ranges from just one day to a staggering 297 days depending where you live.

The average wait for in-home support is 29 days, according to freedom of information requests from 175 local authorities in England. Polling shows almost three-quarters of the public are worried about needing social care in the future, with the figure going up to 85% among those with experience of the system.

Dr Devan Moodley, CEO of Health Connect Global, which commissioned the research, said: "These figures reveal something uncomfortable, which is that the more people see of our care system, the more they fear needing it themselves.

"Behind the statistics are families left in limbo, waiting months for essential support while others in different postcodes receive help within days.

"While the challenges facing social care are significant, the incredible work being done by care workers and social care providers in communities means that despite these barriers, people are receiving outstanding care against the odds.

"The Government needs to act to rebuild public trust, by using modern technology and not legacy technology to ensure care workers are provided with the right tools for modern care, and to make sure councils have the resources they need to deliver the appropriate care for an ageing population."

It comes as the first recommendations from Baroness Louise Casey's independent commission on adult social care are due later this year.

Liberal Democrat care and carers spokesperson Alison Bennett said: “The disintegration of social care in our country has left millions of disabled and elderly people in misery.

"Growing old and frail is a source of real fear because, rather than being protected by the system, we face the threat of being left isolated, unwell and unable to cope.

“A year on from the announcement of Starmer's social care commission, the government has failed to act and families are paying the price. Hospital patients are treated on crammed hospital corridors, are stuck for weeks and months in a hospital bed, and are routinely denied the dignified home and residential care they deserve. It's not good enough.

“By investing in care workers, tearing down barriers to care support and properly supporting family carers we can deliver the security that has been denied to families for so long."

Baroness Casey warned last week that the UK is facing a "moment of reckoning" in social care.

She described social care in England as "a system which means some needs are barely met at all, and others are met late and in piecemeal and random ways".

Polling was carried out by Stack Data Strategy with 1,500 members of the public in December 2025.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We want people to benefit from better quality, choice and control of their care and will make over £4.6 billion of additional funding available for adult social care in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26.

“An independent commission looking to build consensus for a National Care Service has begun and we are already making improvements. These include strengthening join-up between health and social care services, enabling people to have more choice and control and supporting unpaid carers by raising the Carer’s Allowance.

“Everyone should have the support they need to live an independent, dignified life. We want people to have fair access to locally delivered services and together we can design a system that works better for everyone and puts people first.”