CCN response to LUHC Select Committee Report on Long-term Funding of Adult Social Care

Today the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee has publish its report on the Long-term Funding of Adult Social Care. 

The report can be read here. It warns of the current challenges facing the social care sector, exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, and the additional pressures created by charging reforms to adult social care, to be introduced from October 2023.

CCN provided both written (see here) and oral evidence to the committee inquiry, and the report draws extensively on this evidence, alongside our recent independent reports with Laing Buisson (see here) and Newton (see here) which analysed the impact of the government’s flagship reforms. The report’s recommendations echo the findings of our independent research, including the need for additional funding for services, the need to dedicate more of the health and social care levy to fund reforms and introducing a fairer funding formula.

Below, CCN responds to the report findings and recommendations, which has been covered by Sky News here.

Cllr Martin Tett, Adult Social Care Spokesperson for the County Councils Network, said:

“The County Councils Network (CCN) strongly welcome the findings of this report on the long term funding of adult social care. We are pleased that the Committee have drawn extensively on our evidence, alongside our independent research with LaingBuisson and Newton on the impact of charging reforms.

“This research has shown that these reforms, to be introduced from October 2023, could be underfunded by at least £10bn over the next decade, with county areas most exposed. As this report demonstrates, these additional pressures come at a time when the social care system is already under immense financial and workforce strains.

“It is absolutely vital that the next Prime Minister and government act on the recommendations of this Committee, including providing short-term funding to meet inflationary pressures, dedicating more of the health and social care levy to fund reforms to social care, and introducing a fairer funding formula.

“However, we also believe the new government needs to go further by delaying the implementation of social care reforms beyond October 2023 so that councils are given more time and resources to ensure the reforms are implemented successfully.”