Government not proceeding with social care charging reform: CCN responds

Today the government has announced it will not proceed with adult social care charging reforms, as part of its newly-published ‘public spending audit’.

In the lead up to today’s announcement from the Chancellor, the County Councils Network’s recent analysis had found that costs of these reforms could top £30bn in the decade after they were introduced, and recommended they were delayed beyond their scheduled inception of October 2025.

Below, the County Councils Network responds to the announcement that they will no longer be taken forward.

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

“Councils have supported the principle of the adult social care charging reforms, but we have always said that they must be fully funded by the government of the day. The County Councils Network’s recent analysis showed that the costs of the reforms has spiralled to a projected £30bn in the decade after their introduction, with insufficient money committed to them. 

“The government has felt it is unable to take forward these reforms in the current Parliament and we understand that this will be frustrating to campaigners. But with no funding committed to the reforms and with councils still facing acute workforce and system pressures, introducing these changes in October 2025 could have had some catastrophic consequences for council finances, health and care systems and individuals who currently receive services. Now, the government must prioritise addressing these current pressures at the forthcoming Spending Review.

“We must remember that reform to social care encompasses much more than charging reform. We want to work with this government on other key reform agendas, such as addressing the recruitment and retention crisis in the care workforce and on ensuring the day-to-day care services are sustainability funded and reformed in the long run.”