The Department of Health and Social Care has released the latest statistics from the Mental Capacity Act 2005 on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) for England, covering the 2024 to 2025 period. These figures are gathered from all 153 local authorities responsible for adult social services, who act as the supervisory bodies authorising deprivation of liberty for adults in care homes and hospitals.
The data provides valuable insights into several key areas:
- The characteristics of individuals for whom DoLS applications were submitted
- The number of applications completed, along with their outcomes
- Applications that remained incomplete
This is the first time the DHSC has published these statistics, a report previously managed by NHS England. These statistics show that despite efforts by LAs up and down the country, they are struggling to ensure that all those requiring the safeguards are provided with them.
It is important to recognise that these statistics represent only part of the picture, as the DoLS framework is limited to adults and therefore does not include children under 18, nor does it account for individuals deprived of their liberty outside of care homes or hospitals.
The new Liberty Protection Safeguards are intended to apply to 16–17-year-olds, unlike DoLS. However, LPS are still not in force.
In headline terms
• Demand continues to rise, with 364,900 DoLS applications received - a 9.8% increase on the previous year.
- Urgency remains a defining feature of the system, with 58% of applications accompanied by an urgent authorisation.
- 353,935 applications were completed (up 9.3% from 2023 to 2024). Of these, 45.1% were fully assessed, 4.6% partially assessed, while just over half (50.3%) were closed without any assessment.
- Only 3,975 fully assessed applications were refused, representing 2.5% of completed, fully assessed cases - a continued fall from 3.0% in 2023-24.
- Outstanding caseloads have reduced, with 118,850 applications still incomplete at year end, down 4.0% from the previous year.
- Timeliness is improving but remains challenging: 21.1% of applications were completed within the statutory 21‑day timeframe, up from 18.6% in 2023-24.
- For completed cases, the average time to completion fell to 126 days, a notable improvement from 144 days in 2023 to 2024.
Alongside the publication of these DoLS statistics, the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, has pledged to reform the Mental Capacity Act, aiming to address ongoing challenges and further strengthen safeguards for those affected.
We will keep readers updated.
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