Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 17
Second Report - Long-term funding of adult social care
Published 4 Aug 2022
Paragraph 76
Addressed to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Long-term funding of adult social care All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The geographical inequity of relying on council tax to provide the majority of funding for adult social care is compounded by an out-of-date adult social care relative needs formula. The Government must update the adult social care relative needs formula by the next financial year. This should be implemented alongside the Fair Funding Review and council tax equalisation. Geographical fairness should also be taken into account in future allocations of Health and Social Care Levy funding.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Second Report - Long-term funding of adult social care (HC 19), paragraph 76, 4 August 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 15 June 2023 (deadline 4 October 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government says it remains "fully committed" to the 10-year vision for adult social care and points to up to £7.5 billion of additional funding over two years, while declining some of the Committee's specific recommendations.
- On funding, it cites the Autumn Statement's "up to £7.5 billion" of additional funding over two years for adult social care and discharge, with up to £2.8 billion in 2023-24 and up to £4.7 billion in 2024-25.
- It says it "agree[s]" that market shaping should include a dedicated focus on outcomes-based commissioning, and it is investing in local authority commissioning capability.
- It declines to introduce statutory housing plan requirements ("We do not intend to introduce statutory requirements at this time") and has "no plans" for a review of carer's assessments or to lower visa salary thresholds.
- On a multi-year settlement, it says it "will aim to provide" one "wherever possible"; it will not proceed with the Review of Relative Needs and Resources during this Spending Review.