Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
2nd Report - Adult Social Care Reform: the cost of inaction
Health and Social Care Committee
HC 368
Published 5 May 2025
Recommendations
3
Rejected
Develop robust methodology for measuring care's impact on people's lives, health, and the economy.
Recommendation
The Government must also develop a robust methodology for measuring the impact of care on people’s lives, the wider health system, and the economy. As well as supporting the case for reform, such methodology would help councils to deliver outcome-based …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejected the recommendation to develop a robust methodology for measuring the impact of care. It stated that existing procedures for impact assessments for policy or fiscal decisions relating to the workforce are sufficient and a new form of cross-government impact assessment is not accepted.
Department of Health and Social Care
View Details →
19
Rejected
Mandate Casey Commission research into NHS costs and savings linked to adult social care failures
Recommendation
We recommend that the Casey Commission undertakes research to better understand the costs that the NHS is bearing as a result of failures in adult social care, and where the NHS is saving money due to good social care. This …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states that the independent Casey Commission has the autonomy to decide its research, implying the government will not direct it to undertake the specific cost analysis recommended or commit to continuing such analysis itself.
Department of Health and Social Care
View Details →
24
Rejected
Require Baroness Casey to outline adult social care's role in the 10-Year NHS Health Plan
Recommendation
In her first report, Baroness Casey should set out the immediate steps that the Government needs to take to ensure the adult social care sector can play its vital part in the three shifts for NHS reform. Achieving these should …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government states the independent commission has autonomy to make recommendations and that its terms of reference already align with supporting the government's health mission, but does not commit to ensuring Baroness Casey sets out the immediate steps or assessments as specifically recommended.
Department of Health and Social Care
View Details →
26
Rejected
Develop a growth strategy for adult social care informed by productivity study, highlighting regional growth.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government produce a growth strategy for the adult social care sector, including a focus on its potential to drive regional growth. This should be informed by a detailed study of how to improve productivity in the …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects the recommendation for a dedicated adult social care 'growth strategy', arguing it is not proportionate or necessary given the sector's core purpose of individual wellbeing. While acknowledging social care's economic role, it notes the Casey Commission's independence for studying productivity, without committing to the specific recommended study.
Department of Health and Social Care
View Details →
27
Rejected
Commission research to quantify the full costs of inaction on adult social care reform.
Recommendation
We recommend that the Government commissions research with the aim of fully quantifying the cost of doing nothing on adult social care reform. That research should seek to quantify costs to individuals, including unpaid carers and care workers, to local …
Read more
Government Response Summary
The government rejects commissioning a dedicated study to quantify the cost of inaction on adult social care reform. It states it already commissions a wide range of research and data through the NIHR to inform its approach to reform.
Department of Health and Social Care
View Details →
Conclusions (1)
8
Conclusion
Rejected
Local authorities are buckling under the strain of the costs of providing adult social care. The current system is unsustainable. Failure to reform adult social care, especially the funding structure, comes at a significant cost to local authorities. The increasingly high proportion of spending on adult social care is crowding …
Government Response Summary
The government agrees adult social care supports economic growth and highlights current efforts like the Employment Rights Bill and investment in digital tools, but it explicitly rejects developing a dedicated adult social care 'growth strategy'.