Solving the Financial Administration Crisis in Adult Social Care

A new report published today by Care England in partnership with Cleva Card highlights a critical and growing issue within the adult social care sector: the unsustainable management of client funds.

This work reveals that outdated administrative practices, such as storing client money in envelopes, mixing it with business accounts, and tracking funds using clunky Excel spreadsheets, remain commonplace across the sector. These inefficient methods not only hinder financial management but also increase the risk of financial misappropriation, loss, or false allegations against trusted care staff.

The scale of the issue is substantial, with over 180,000 vulnerable adults funded by local authorities across the UK receiving a total of more than £287 million annually in Personal Expenses Allowances (PEA). Much of this funding is managed without adequate transparency, individual accountability, or regulatory compliance.

In response, Care England has partnered with Cleva Card to provide a secure, digital financial solution specifically designed for the care sector. This innovative platform enables care providers to streamline financial administration, safeguard client funds, and enhance staff protection, client dignity, and overall confidence in the services delivered.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England commented:

“The Cleva Card platform, developed in partnership with Care England, offers a secure, compliant, and transparent solution. By advocating for digital transformation, this paper aims to protect vulnerable adults, reduce provider risk and costs, and align with evolving regulatory expectations.”

Sarah King, Care Partnerships Manager of Cleva Card commented: 

“This collaboration exemplifies how technology and sector leadership can combine to bring about real, lasting change. We are proud to contribute to this transformation, and even prouder to be doing so alongside an organisation as trusted and committed as Care England.”

The report also draws on real-world case studies to demonstrate the significant benefits of adopting the Cleva Card system across various care settings. These case studies showcase how the solution is transforming financial management in residential care, domiciliary care, and supported living environments. Key benefits demonstrated include:

• Improved Administrative Efficiency: For example, a supported living provider reduced administrative time by 45% after replacing paper expense records with Cleva Card’s digital system.

• Enhanced Safeguarding and Transparency: A domiciliary care provider saw a marked reduction in family complaints and ensured full compliance with local authority monitoring through real-time transaction visibility.

• Increased Operational Efficiency: A residential care home adopted Cleva Cards for 80 residents, halving the time spent on audits and introducing a value-added service, such as shopping for residents, that generated additional income.