Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Conclusion 22
Second Report - Long-term funding of adult social care
Published 4 Aug 2022
Paragraph 98
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 ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
We welcome the Government’s commitment to “making every decision about care is a decision about housing”, but we are concerned that currently the Government is not putting this into practice. The detail on the housing policies in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper and how their funding will work have not been shared. We welcome the creation within DLUHC of a taskforce for housing for older people, but it is not clear what the read across will be to policies in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper. We are also concerned by an apparent lack of joined-up working both between DHSC and DLUHC—and within DLUHC—on housing, planning, and social care. This is not intended as a criticism of Ministers, but of the siloed working that this suggests both within DLUHC and across DHSC and DLUHC.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Second Report - Long-term funding of adult social care (HC 19), paragraph 98, 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.