Staggering numbers of care home deaths mean this report's findings will be closely watchedpublished at 11:41 BST

11:41 BST

Alison Holt
Social affairs editor

More than 43,000 care home residents who died in the UK have covid recorded as a cause on their death certificates. Many of those deaths happened in the first three months.

Those staggering numbers and the heartache that lies behind them makes today’s Covid inquiry report into what happened in adult social care particularly important.

The care sector, which provides support to older and disabled people in care homes, supported housing and in people’s own homes, was already underfunded and short-staffed.

By the time the virus reached the UK, it was known to be particularly devastating to older people and those with disabilities and medical conditions.

However, the focus was on protecting the NHS because of the concerns it could be overwhelmed. The Scientific Advisory Group for emergencies - which provides expert advice to the government - started meeting at the end of January 2020, but minutes show care homes were mentioned for the first time in their twelfth meeting on 3 March.

This apparent lack of consideration of this vulnerable group is one of many issues the inquiry has had to examine.

Those working in care say they struggled to get protective gear and food supplies, there was a lack of medical help, they were desperately short-staffed as people fell ill, and in mid-March 2020, the NHS rapidly discharged about 25,000 medically fit patients into care homes in England to free up hospital beds.

Many care providers spoke of being put under intense pressure to take these patients, when they had minimal PPE and often little ability to isolate new arrivals. This, and staff moving between locations, were later blamed for the spike in care home deaths in April 2020. At its peak, on one single day, 540 residents died with Covid.

The then health and social care secretary, Matt Hancock, caused huge anger when he said in May 2020 that the government had put a “protective ring” around care homes from the start. The report’s verdict on that will also be key.

Image source, PA Media

The hearings into how the pandemic affected the care sector stretched across several weeks in June and July 2025.

Ministers involved in the government's Covid-19 response were among those testifying before inquiry chair Baroness Hallet, as well as impacted families and representatives from organisations around the care sector.

Some shared the upsetting stories of the death of their loved ones.

Ann, from Wales, told the inquiry's Every Story Matters project that her dad, who had dementia, was living in a care home when the pandemic hit.

When visits were limited "he didn't have the understanding of why we were outside his window", she told the hearing. He became increasingly confused, tearful and begged to be allowed to die. Ann was told of his death by phone in the middle of the night.

Nicky, meanwhile, told the hearing that she spotted that her mother was dying from Covid on a video call before staff had noticed, and described that time as "traumatic".

"She didn't die with dignity and there was no alleviation for her pain and suffering," she told BBC News at the time.

The hearing also heard how one care worker in Durham described how the virus "spread like wildfire".

"At one point, 67 out of 87 residents tested positive, as well as a high percentage of our staff. We were all terrified we would take the virus home to our families," the care worker said.

Image source, PA

This latest report from the Covid Inquiry will examine the impact of the pandemic on the private and public adult social care sector in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland by:

• Considering the consequences of government decision-making (such as restrictions) on people living and working within the care sector. This includes freeing up capacity in hospitals by discharging patients into adult care and residential homes

• Addressing the steps taken in adult care and residential homes to prevent the spread of Covid-19
• Examining the capacity of the adult care sector to respond to the pandemic
• Looking at the human impact of the pandemic on residents and their families, such as deaths in care homes and restrictions placed on visitors

Today the latest report from the Covid-19 Inquiry will be released, showing its findings on how the pandemic impacted the care sector.

More than 43,000 care home residents who died between March 2020 and July 2022 have covid recorded as a cause on their death certificates.

Public hearings were carried out last summer, with testimonies from Helen Whately MP, former minister of state for care, Matt Hancock, former secretary of state for health and social care, and representatives from social services around the UK.

One civil servant told the hearings that the number of deaths in care homes amounted to "a generational slaughter". Others described the death of their loved ones as traumatic and undignified.

The inquiry, chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, has already set out reports for five other modules. Those have included investigations into the impact of Covid-19 on the NHS, the vaccine rollout, PPE availability, resilience, and government preparedness.

We're expecting to see the full report at around midday, and we'll bring you live updates on its findings in this page.