Homecare adopting AI faster than it can govern it, survey shows

Many UK homecare providers have adopted AI but rules governing its use have not kept pace, according to research by technology company Birdie.

It surveyed 122 homecare providers across the UK, as part of a report, which found 70% are using AI in some form, rising to a projected 85% within a year. As well as back-office administration, around half use it to help shape care, including care plans and risk assessments.

Survey results showed 76% of providers said AI had improved the quality of care they deliver, and among those re-inspected since adopting it, 59% saw their CQC rating improve.

However, while the majority of providers are using AI, only 66% have any formal policy governing how they do so. AI adoption is dominated by general-purpose consumer tools rather than software built for care: ChatGPT (used by 63%), Microsoft Copilot (47%), Google Gemini (38%) and writing assistants such as Grammarly (35%).

The report, Moving faster than the rules: AI, care quality and the homecare sector in 2026, warns of a growing two-tier sector. AI use jumps from around 15% among the smallest agencies to roughly 80% for those supporting 141 or more clients. Smaller agencies told Birdie they hold back through uncertainty about which tools to trust.

‘In the nearly ten years since we started Birdie, homecare has already gone through one technological transformation in going from paper to digital. It’s now on to the second with the rise of AI, and it’s no surprise that homecare has jumped on the opportunity – this sector never fails to find a way through whatever challenges are thrown at it,’ said Max Parmentier, chief executive and co-founder of Birdie.

‘However, the fact that most providers are relying on general-purpose tools that were never built for care leaves real risks exposed. We hope this report shows that the tipping point for AI in homecare has long since passed and that the potential it has is transformative – it’s now time to give it the support, guidance and strategy it needs.’

The report calls for regulators to issue guidance specifically for homecare and equip inspectors to assess how AI is governed in practice. It also wants to see support reach providers least able to access it on their own, so that adopting AI well does not depend on size of business. ‍

Launched in 2017, Birdie integrates processes from care management to finance, helping teams work smarter to improve care quality and drive business sustainability.