Some two million adults in the Netherlands were receiving some form of help and support at home in 2015 because they were not able to care for themselves properly, the government’s socio-cultural think-tank SCP said on Monday.

This is equivalent to some 15% of the adult population, the SCP said. The care ranged from doing the shopping and cleaning to helping people get dressed or dressing wounds, the SCP said.

Almost one in 10 adults was helped by family, friends or neighbours. The rest benefited from carers funded by the state and/or privately. Some two-thirds of those who had help at home said they needed more assistance than they were given.

In 2015, the responsibility for care was handed over to local councils and the budgets were reduced by some 40%. The government hoped the move would encourage family and friends to do more to help people remain living in their own homes.