Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Deferred
Consider measures to address the erosion of the social care upper threshold.
Recommendation
Given how often this was raised as an issue, we recommend that the Casey Commission considers measures to address the erosion of the upper threshold. In the meantime, we recommend the Government does the same. (Recommendation, Paragraph 29) 53 Unpaid carers: the hidden cost of inaction
Government Response Summary
The government's response did not address the recommendation to consider the erosion of the social care upper threshold. Instead, it committed to consulting on the design of the Fair Pay Agreement process this year, with secondary legislation and the establishment of a negotiating body to follow in 2026.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The government is committed to consulting on the design of the Fair Pay Agreement process. DHSC established a Fair Pay Agreement working group at the end of 2024 so that the government can update and seek feedback from adult social care sector representatives and trade unions. Alongside this, DHSC is coordinating a series of policy-specific task and finish groups with sector stakeholders that will help inform potential policy options for inclusion in a formal public consultation. The government will begin the Fair Pay Agreement consultation this year. Once the consultation concludes, secondary legislation and the establishing of the negotiating body will follow in 2026. We intend to produce an impact assessment including monetised estimates, in line with the usual process for secondary legislation, once a Fair Pay Agreement is ratified. Once the negotiating body is established, it will then negotiate the first Fair Pay Agreement. The government is committed to establishing the first Fair Pay Agreement within this Parliament. The NHS and wider system costs of inaction