Source · Select Committees · Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 18
18
Accepted
The Department for Health and Social Care is drip-feeding numerous policy changes in adult social...
Recommendation
The Department for Health and Social Care is drip-feeding numerous policy changes in adult social care, many of which are welcome, but many of which will have a significant impact on local authorities in terms of their spending and capacity. These include the cap and new means test, commencing Section 18(3) of the Care Act 2014 in respect of residential care, the fair cost of care, reforms in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper around housing, data, and assurance, and reforms in the Joining up Care for People, Places and Populations White Paper around health and care integration. We understand that local authorities are working closely with central government on these reforms. But we are concerned that the Government does not have a handle on what the total impact on local authorities will be. The 76 Long-term funding of adult social care Government should publish a new burdens assessment by the end of the year to determine the level of resource needed by local government in terms of staff, expertise, and funding to deliver the full package of adult social care reforms. (Paragraph 77) People at the heart of care: the direction of travel for reform
Government Response Summary
The government states that National Planning Policy already makes clear that local authorities must plan for a range of housing needs, including the needs of older and disabled people, and that they do not intend to introduce statutory requirements at this time.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
National Planning Policy already makes clear that local authorities must plan for a range of housing needs, including the needs of older and disabled people. In 2018, we revised our National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to make clear that local authorities should assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community and reflect this in their planning policies. In 2019 we published additional Planning Practice Guidance that sets out further detail on how local authorities can best achieve this, including guidance on what range of needs should be addressed and the sorts of evidence that can be taken into account. In December 2022 we published a consultation on our proposed approach to updating the National Planning Policy Framework, which closed on 2 March. We will publish a government response in due course. As part of this, we proposed strengthening the existing policy by adding a specific expectation that when ensuring that the needs of older 26 Government response people are met, particular regard is given to retirement housing, housing-with-care and care homes. We know these are important typologies of housing that can help support our ageing population. As more local authorities adopt plans based on the most recent iteration of the NPPF, we anticipate increasing numbers of local authorities will have clear policies for meeting local needs for older and disabled people. We believe that planning policy is the appropriate route for ensuring that these needs are met locally, as it provides authorities with the flexibility to take full account of local circumstances. We do not intend to introduce statutory requirements at this time. Conclusion 25 – use classes or sub-classes