Select committee: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
Recommendation 31
Second Report - Long-term funding of adult social care
Published 4 Aug 2022
Paragraph 130
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)
We recognise that it is not always easy to engage with people who do not identify as “carers”, but more must be done to ensure that carers receive the support to which they are entitled, and that the support they receive is useful to them. All carers are legally entitled to a carers assessment, but under the current arrangements it seems that only 1 in 4 has received one. This is not acceptable. The Government should carry out a review of carers assessments, including of the terminology, co-produced with carers. The new assurance framework should include a requirement to report on the number of carers assessments conducted by local authorities, from which targets should be set in alignment with the workforce strategy we have recommended. Consideration should also be given to how the new data framework can help to identify carers.
From: Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, Second Report - Long-term funding of adult social care (HC 19), paragraph 130, 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.