Tens of thousands died at home without proper care in pandemic, charity warns

Tens of thousands of people are likely to have died in their houses without adequate care during the pandemic, The Independent has learnt.

- REBECCA THOMAS

Almost 67,000 people are thought to have passed away at home in the past two years without access to treatment such as pain medication, or with care in their final days having to be coordinated by family members, according to analysis by Hospice UK.

The charity has warned this represents a “drastic” increase in the number of people dying at home, with health and social care providers finding it diffiult to respond.

Although the charity said the actual figure for those dying without proper care could be even higher than this, there is no offiial information on the level of unmet need in end-of-life care.

Meanwhile, in new data published today, the UK is set to record that 100,000 deaths have taken place at home since the pandemic began.

The Offie for National Statistics (ONS) is due to reveal the figure for the latter half of 2021. The most recent data from the ONS showed a total of 97,165 people had died at private residences since the beginning of the first lockdown. Based on Hospice UK’s estimates for the first three weeks of January, the charity has projected that this figure will now reach 100,414.

Speaking to The Independent, head of policy at Hospice UK, Dominic Carter, warned health and social care providers have found it diffiult to respond as quickly to the “drastic” increase in people dying at home.