Short and Long Term Return
Tracks customer journeys through the social care system, starting with an initial request for support.
Contents
- Documentation
About this standard
- Publisher
- NHS England
- Also known as
- Short and Long Term Return (SALT)
- SALT Return
- Short and Long Term Support (SALT)
- Short and Long Term (SALT) activity return
- Reference code
- DAPB2161 Amd 44/2021
- Publication date
- 17 September 2021
- Status
- Active
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Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.
Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.
Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.
- Standard type
- Collections
Show definitions of standard types
Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.
Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.
Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.
Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.
- Collection level
Aggregate level
- Frequency
Dataset publication or collection occurs once a year.
- Contact point
socialcare.statistics@nhs.net
Using this standard
- Associated medias
- Applies to
- Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs)
- Is part of
- Adult Social Care Data Collections
Topics and care settings
- Topic
- Care
- Service
- Care setting
- Social care
Dependencies and related standards
- Related standards
- Adult Social Care Client Level Data SetDAPB4081: This data set will ultimately replace the Short and Long Term Return.
- Adult Social Care Deferred Payment AgreementsDAPB2150
- Adult Social Care Finance ReturnDCB2135
- Blind and Partially Sighted People RegisterSCCI2155
- Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards under the Mental Capacity Act 2005DAPB2101
- Guardianship Under the Mental Health Act 1983DAPB2158
- Personal Social Services Adult Social Care SurveyDAPB2153
- Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in EnglandDAPB2169
- Safeguarding Adults CollectionDAPB2172
- Adult Social Care Client Level Data Set
Review Information
- Scope
- All Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs)
- Contributor
- Department of Health and Social Care
- Approval date
- 24 August 2018
- Technical Committee
Data Alliance Partnership Board (DAPB)
Legal basis
- Link to Information Standards Notice (ISN)
- View the information standards notice
Information Standards Notices (ISNs) are published to announce new or changes to information standards published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
- Legal authority
Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
This standard is published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.
Section 259 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
More information
The SALT data collection is a set of measures co-produced with stakeholders. It has two main sections, relating to requests for social care support and provision of short term support (described in the guidance as STS measures) and service users and carers receiving eligible support (described as LTS measures).
From April 2023 the government introduced a national mandatory person-level data collection – the Adult Social Care Client Level Data Set (CLD). CLD will replace the existing annual Short and Long Term (SALT) Support data collected by local authorities.
To provide continuity of published statistics about local authority adult social care services, and support improvement to the new CLD collection, local authorities will continue both CLD and SALT data returns in 2023 to 2024.
Page last updated: 01 December 2025