SNP failure as 1 in 5 care homes has closed since 2015

Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Inverness Angus MacDonald has today said the crisis in social care is spiralling under the SNP after new figures revealed almost one in five care homes for adults has closed over the past decade.

Public Health Scotland’s Care Home Census for Adults in Scotland reveals that between 31st March 2015 and 31st March 2025 there was an 18% drop in the number of care homes for adults. In the same period, the number of registered places fell by 5%.

17 care homes closed between 2024 and 2025 alone, despite the number of residents increasing.

Separate figures also show that as at 6th October, there were 11,215 people waiting on social care assessments and care at home packages- the highest number of people waiting since April 2023.

Earlier this month, Mr MacDonald hosted a conference on adult social care in the Highlands, bringing together policymakers, practitioners and sector leaders to discuss the growing challenges facing health and social care across the region.

Angus MacDonald MP said:

“This is a damming verdict on the state of social care under the SNP. Those who know the sector best understand that as more homes shut their doors, more people struggle to access care close to home.

“The SNP do not have a clue how to fix things. They wasted tens of millions of pounds trying to centralise services, a power grab that they were ultimately forced to junk. That money could have paid the salaries of 1,200 new care workers.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are the party of care, which is why I recently held a conference that was all about finding solutions for people in the Highlands who have been badly affected by an onslaught of care home closures.

“Everyone working in and using our social care services deserve better. We want to see change with fairness at its heart, and you can vote for that next May by marking a cross next to the Scottish Liberal Democrats on your second, peach-coloured regional ballot paper.”