Christmas is supposed to be about home. Yet for thousands of older people in residential care, that sense of home can feel anything but secure.

Reporting published today by The i Paper says nearly 7,000 care home residents in England were told their contracts were being terminated, often with as little as 28 days’ notice, and that this represents a sharp rise compared with previous years. The paper says the figures come from a Freedom of Information request to the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Separate CQC FOI-based reporting earlier this year also described 7,261 people receiving a “notice to quit” between August 2024 and September 2025.

We don’t yet know the reasons behind every notice, and it’s important not to assume that every termination is wrongful. There are circumstances where a placement may genuinely no longer be safe - for example, where someone’s needs have changed significantly. The CQC itself recognises that.

But the regulator has also been clear about two crucial safeguards: notices should not be prompted solely by complaints, and any notice should follow due process.
That is why a steep rise in notices should be treated as a safeguarding warning light, not merely an administrative trend.

From Hourglass’ perspective, for an older person, particularly someone living with dementia, frailty or complex health needs, being forced to move is not a minor disruption. It can be traumatic, disorientating and medically risky. At Christmas, when loneliness already intensifies, the impact is magnified: familiar surroundings vanish, trusted carers change, and stability is threatened.

There is another reason this matters: the fear of losing your home can silence you. If residents or families believe that raising concerns might lead to a termination notice, poor care is less likely to be challenged and harm is more likely to stay hidden. The CQC has explicitly warned against notices being used simply because a complaint has been made.

Local authorities also have clear responsibilities. The Care Act places duties on councils to meet eligible needs for care and support, and Section 42 establishes the safeguarding duty where there is reasonable cause to suspect an adult is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect and cannot protect themselves because of care and support needs.
In short: a “notice to quit” cannot be allowed to become a route to abandonment, instability, or risk.

At the same time, it’s hard to ignore the wider backdrop. When funding is tight, when placements are complex, and when services are under pressure, older people can become caught in disputes and breakdowns that they did not cause but that they suffer.

The Government has launched an independent commission on adult social care, with longer-term recommendations expected by 2028. That long-term focus is welcome but older people facing upheaval today cannot wait years for protection.

So what should happen now? Hourglass is not calling for a brand-new system overnight. We are calling for immediate, practical safeguards that align with existing duties and regulator expectations:

• Safeguarding-first response: where a notice is issued and there are any indicators of intimidation, neglect, retaliation, coercion or unsafe care, it should trigger rapid safeguarding consideration in line with Care Act principles.

• Independent advocacy and a clear route to challenge: no resident should be left navigating a frightening process alone, especially where capacity, communication needs, or isolation are factors. (Independent guidance for families is clear that residents have rights and should be given notice in writing.)

• Better recording and oversight: the CQC has said it is looking at how to better record instances of notices to quit in its provider portal and monitor the issue. That must translate into meaningful oversight where patterns suggest notices are linked to complaints rather than genuine changes in need.

• Continuity and safety planning: councils, providers and partners should ensure safe transition planning so no older person is left at risk of harm, confusion, or homelessness.

At Hourglass, we work with older victim-survivors of abuse and neglect every day. We know that harm can arise not only from cruelty, but from systems that prioritise process over people.

At Christmas, more than any other time, we should be clear: a care home is not just a service. It is someone’s home. Speaking up should never come with the risk of eviction — and safeguarding must always come first.