This is how many abuse reports were made in Herefordshire during Covid-19

Age UK said abuse and neglect may have thrived behind closed doors throughout periods of lockdown, contributing to a stark national rise in the number of concerns flagged with councils between April 2020 and March this year.

NHS Digital figures show 2,105 concerns about adults with care and support needs were reported to the council in Herefordshire in that period, up from the 1,905 recorded the year before – a 10 per cent difference.

Nationally, nearly 500,000 safeguarding concerns were flagged that year, up five per cent from 2019-20, with the very elderly – those aged over 85 – most likely to be the subject.

If councils believe a vulnerable adult is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect, they must carry out a Section 42 enquiry to determine whether action should be taken.

Around 225 such enquiries were launched in Herefordshire during the year to March – fewer than the 320 that commenced in 2019-20.

Roughly 225 such investigations concluded in 2020-21, with the council finding that the highest proportion of allegations in the area were linked to psychological abuse.

The highest number of incidents took place in a person's own home with the source of risk in Herefordshire most often someone unknown to the individual.

Across England, where most incidents were likely to happen at home or in residential care, allegations of neglect, physical, psychological or financial abuse were at the centre of most investigations.

In Herefordshire, there were 80 enquiries involving neglect or acts of omission, 60 concerning physical abuse, 90 about psychological abuse and 55 investigations into financial abuse.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said the Government was supporting councils to carry out safeguarding duties effectively and had provided billions in non ring-fenced funding to allow local authorities to continue delivering services throughout the pandemic.