On 4 August 2022,  the Levelling up, Housing and Communities Select Committee published its report on its inquiry into the short-term and long-term funding of adult social care.  The message from the Committee is stark:  

The message rang clear throughout our inquiry: the adult social care sector does not have enough funding either in the here and now, or in the longer-term.

The report highlights the immediate pressures facing the sector including rising demand, unmet need, difficulties recruiting and retaining staff, increases in the national living wage, increases in the national minimum wage and rising inflation. To help ease these short-term pressures the Committee recommends that the Government allocates additional funding this year through the adult social care grant. To cover demographic changes, the uplift wage in line with NMW and to protect people who face catastrophic social care costs, the Committee suggests that at least £7bn in additional funding is needed each year.

The report also offers a critique of the Health and Social Care Levy, with the suggestion that the additional funding is only for reforms – it will do little to address funding issues.

Housing and planning were identified by the Committee as important in stabilising the ASC market and introducing quality and innovation. On the topic of the workforce, prevalent themes across the ASC sector were highlighted with retention, recruitment issues, pay and career progression mentioned.

We have produced a summary of the report and it can be accessed at the following link.