Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are applications made by care homes and hospitals to local authorities¹, that independently assess the care provided to people who lack the mental capacity to consent to the arrangements, where that care deprives them of their liberty².

The Mental Capacity Act 2005, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, England 2018-19 report provides information regarding DoLS applications, including the numbers received by local authorities through the year, the number completed by local authorities during that year and the number authorised.

There is also information on the demographic profile of people for whom an application was made; an analysis of the length of the application process; and the duration, both proposed and actual, of the authorisations that were granted.

Further analysis of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards data is available at local, regional and national levels, on request.