Recommendation 9

In recent years, there have been multiple short-term, top-up funding announcements for adult social care in response to crises. In response to emerging pressures in 2022, in the November 2022 Autumn Statement government announced funding of up to £7.5 billion over two years (up to £2.8 billion in 2023–24 and up to £4.7 billion in 2024–25) to help stabilise the care sector. This included £2.7 billion of new grant funding: £1.6 billion through the existing Better Care Fund to support hospital discharge and £1.1 billion to local authorities through a new Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund (MSIF) for local authorities to support “tangible improvements” in adult social care.17 Further top-up funding during 2023 included £570 million for the Market Sustainability and Improvement Workforce Fund, and £30 million for urgent and emergency care, announced in July, with a further £10 million top-up for urgent and emergency care announced in September.18