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Care home residents were left to “die alone,” bereaved families have said, as a damning new report in the Covid-19 inquiry has been published today.
There were more than 43,000 recorded care home deaths involving Covid-19 between March 2020 and July 2022, the report said, and inquiry hearings last year heard a civil servant describe the toll as a “generational slaughter within care homes”.
The new report found that many families were unable to visit their loved ones in care homes at the end of their life, which caused “immense upset and harm”.
“While visits to people at the end of life should have been permitted, this did not always happen,” the inquiry found.
“This resulted in many people dying alone without the comfort of their loved ones by their side. For many bereaved, this has led to prolonged grief, feelings of guilt and anger.”
Speaking on behalf of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK, Jean Adamson, said: “Today’s report is a devastating account of one of the darkest episodes in our country’s history.
“It shows that the government knew the care sector was extremely vulnerable to a pandemic and yet did nothing. Failing to act until it was too late.”
In pictures: Campaigners outside Covid-19 inquiry
(PA)
(PA)
(PA)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 October 2026 14:55
Scottish government will ‘take the necessary time’ to consider new report
The Scottish government will “take the necessary time” to consider the new report from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.
The UK-wider probe has released its findings on how social care was impacted on Tuesday.
Responding, a Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of this report and will take the necessary time to fully and carefully consider its findings and recommendations.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the many thousands who have lost loved ones and who continue to experience the profound impacts of Covid-19.
“We recognise the loss, hurt and suffering experienced by people, particularly among those who relied on, delivered or supported adult social care services during an exceptionally challenging period.
“We acknowledge the significant impact of the pandemic on people who draw on care and support, their families and loved ones, and the many unpaid carers who provided essential care, often in difficult and isolating circumstances.
“Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish government’s overriding objective was to protect people and minimise loss of life.
“Work continues to implement the recommendations accepted from earlier inquiry reports and the Scottish government remains committed to working collaboratively with partners to strengthen Scotland’s preparedness, resilience and public services.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 October 2026 14:35
Yvette Cooper comments on inquiry findings
Health secretary Yvette Cooper said she agreed with UK Covid-19 Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett that adult social care has been “undervalued and under recognised”.
Speaking at health questions in the Commons, Ms Cooper said: “The Covid-19 inquiry has today published its module six report on what Baroness Hallett calls the devastating impact of the pandemic on people receiving and providing care for their loved ones.
“My thoughts are with all those who lost loved ones in the pandemic, and especially those who endured the immense distress and harm of visiting restrictions in care homes, which meant they could not be with loved ones even as they died.
“I also pay tribute to all those who work to protect the most vulnerable, but in very difficult circumstances, from care workers to family members.
“The report finds the adult social care sector was in a fragile state and insufficiently prepared for a pandemic, and that social care was too often treated as an afterthought in comparison to the priority placed on protecting the NHS.
“We will provide a full response to the report’s recommendations in due course, but I agree with the chair when she said: ‘Adult social care has, for too long, been undervalued and under recognised’, that has to end.
“And I hope we can work cross-party to support the prime minister’s vision for a national care service in the future.”
(Getty)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 October 2026 14:15
PM says government ‘committed to learning the lessons’ from the Covid inquiry
Prime minister Andy Burnham said the government is “committed to learning the lessons” from the UK Covid-19 Inquiry report on the care sector and pledged to use the findings to develop an “action plan” in case of a future pandemic.
Mr Burnham said: “I recognise the pain and suffering caused by the pandemic and the lasting impact it continues to have on many people.
“I am acutely aware of the experiences of people receiving and providing care during the pandemic, and the impact on their wellbeing, dignity, and independence, as well as the time being separated from their loved ones.
“I pay tribute to family and friends who provided care and support, and to the dedication, compassion and professionalism shown by staff and volunteers working across adult social care, who supported and protected some of the most vulnerable people in exceptionally difficult circumstances.”
He added: “The government is committed to learning the lessons from the inquiry and ensuring the social care sector are prepared for a future pandemic. We will consider carefully the findings and recommendations of the report and respond in due course.
“We will use these findings to continue development of our Adult Social Care Pandemic Action Plan, and we will also respond to Baroness Casey’s review when it is published.
“I have set out my vision for a National Care Service. This will be person-centred, highly integrated with health services and preventative in its character, helping people lead as independent and fulfilling lives as possible and providing dignity and peace of mind.”
(Reuters)
Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 October 2026 13:46
‘Social care was so badly failed’- Royal College of Nursing chief
Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN general secretary and chief executive, said: “This report provides a damning assessment of how social care was so badly failed. The sector entered the pandemic already on its knees from sustained underfunding, while nursing shortages were deep and widespread. The situation was compounded by a failure to recognise the reality of how infection was spreading and then to supply appropriate PPE. This made a dangerous situation fatal, allowing COVID to rip through services and an already depleted staff. As the inquiry makes clear, these were preventable failures.
“Nursing staff in social care were the 24/7 presence, many giving up their family lives to keep people safe and be with those who would otherwise die alone. Vulnerable people, their families and staff were left to make sense of visiting restrictions which caused so much heartbreak. Ultimately, the scale of death was unprecedented and left significant numbers of staff exhibiting PTSD. So many paid the ultimate price and must never be forgotten, nor should this be allowed to happen again.
“The discharge policy demonstrated how vulnerable people and staff in social care were considered second class citizens. Our profession raised concerns from the outset, with care homes lacking the staff, or safe capacity to absorb more people at the speed ordered. Demands for specific guidance on transmission went unheard. While nursing staff faced huge risk, at the heart of government and within key agencies there was a palpable lack of understanding as to how the sector operated. That cost lives.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 October 2026 13:38
Matt Hancock’s claim of ‘protective ring’ around care homes was a ‘cruel lie’
Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK said that Matt Hancock’s claim that a “protective ring” had been thrown around care homes was a “cruel lie”.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Jean Adamson, said: “Today’s report is a devastating account of one of the darkest episodes in our country’s history.
“It shows that the government knew the care sector was extremely vulnerable to a pandemic and yet did nothing. Failing to act until it was too late.
“And It shows that Matt Hancock’s claim to have thrown a protective ring around care homes was a cruel lie.”
She added: “The most at-risk people in our society, the sick, elderly – many of whom had a full and long life ahead of them – were failed by a government who abandoned them and left them to die.
“Among them was my dad – Aldrick Adamson – Aldrick was a Windrush pioneer who came from Barbados to help rebuild Britain. He caught Covid in the nursing home where he lived.
“When he became ill, we could only see him through his care home window. I was not even able to hold his hand. He died on 15 April 2020.
“Like so many thousands, he died alone, isolated – a victim of covid, but also of government negligence.”
Maryam Zakir-Hussain20 October 2026 13:11
Families left unable to say goodbye to loved ones in care home ‘caused immense upset and harm’
Families being unable to visit their loved ones in care homes at the end of their life caused “immense upset and harm”, a major new report has found.
Though visiting guidance during the Covid-19 outbreak did allow exceptions to be made for end-of-life visiting, many families were not permitted to be with their loved ones at the end of their lives.
“While visits to people at the end of life should have been permitted, this did not always happen,” the inquiry found.
“This resulted in many people dying alone without the comfort of their loved ones by their side. For many bereaved, this has led to prolonged grief, feelings of guilt and anger.”
Athena Stavrou20 October 2026 12:47
Lack of family visitation caused ‘incalculable harm’ to care home residents who felt ‘abandoned’ and ‘alone’
The decision to stop families visiting loved ones in care homes during the pandemic caused “incalculable harm” that left residents feeling “abandoned” and “alone”, a new report has found.
Though visiting guidance during the Covid-19 outbreak did allow exceptions to be made for end-of-life visiting, many families were not permitted to be with their loved ones.
The latest Covid Inquiry report found that this resulted in a “significant decline” in the health and wellbeing of residents, causing “profound and enduring effects”.
“Preventing visits caused incalculable harm to residents and their loved ones and often resulted in a significant decline in the health and wellbeing of residents, especially those with complex cognitive conditions such as dementia,” it found.
“As some told the Inquiry’s listening exercise, Every Story Matters, the restrictions left residents feeling ‘isolated’, ‘abandoned’ and ‘alone’.”
It added: “For people with complex cognitive conditions, such as dementia and learning disabilities, or communication difficulties, visits are critically important. Sustained interaction and connection with familiar faces helps to preserve cognitive function, reduce isolation and agitation, and improves emotional wellbeing beyond standard care.”
(AFP/Getty)
Athena Stavrou20 October 2026 12:37
‘Protecting the NHS’ mantra ‘came at the expense’ of care patients and staff
The Covid Inquiry has found that the adult care sector was treated as “something of an afterthought” during the pandemic, with the government’s ‘protecting the NHS’ mantra coming at the expense of care patients and staff.
The UK Covid-19 Inquiry heard there were more than 43,000 deaths involving the virus in care homes across the UK between March 2020 and July 2022.
The report found that failures to protect the adult care sector created environments that allowed the virus to “spread like wildfire”.
“The adult social care sector as a whole also appeared to be something of an afterthought, where the mantra of ‘protecting the NHS’ sometimes came at the expense of the users and providers of care,” the inquiry found.
The inquiry’s chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett, said that the high number of deaths in care homes in April 2020 brought the situation in care homes into “sharp focus”, but the shift in focus “came too late”.
“It caused the UK government and devolved administrations to turn their attention to the adult social care sector, as their focus until then had very much been on the response of the healthcare system and ‘protecting the NHS’,” she wrote.
“Given that it was well known that people receiving care were particularly vulnerable to any respiratory disease, let alone a deadly respiratory virus like Covid-19, that shift in focus came too late. Protective measures should have been put in place at the start of a pandemic, not once it had already taken hold.”
The Covid Inquiry has published its latest report which is into how the pandemic was handled in the adult care sector (Alamy/PA) (Alamy/PA)
Athena Stavrou20 October 2026 12:31
Inquiry chair on Matt Hancock’s claims: ‘Quite the opposite is true’
Inquiry chairwoman, Baroness Heather Hallett, has delivered a statement on the publication of the inquiry’s latest report into adult social care during the pandemic.
She referenced former health secretary Matt Hancock’s claim he had tried to throw a “protective ring” around care homes, which the inquiry said was essentially unfounded.
“At the critical early stages of the pandemic, not enough was done to protect those living and working in care homes,” Baroness Hallett said.
“A claim that a so-called protective ring had been thrown around care homes right from the start was unfounded.
“Quite the opposite is true.
“During the crucial weeks of March and early April 2020, the overriding focus of the UK government and devolved administrations was on protecting hospitals. The mantra of protecting the NHS sometimes came at the expense of the users and providers of care.”
Inquiry chairwoman Baroness Heather Hallett (PA Archive)
Athena Stavrou20 October 2026 12:20