The Reform of Adult Social Care: Our Advocacy

Adult social care reform cannot wait any longer; with this second parliamentary term underway, the clock is ticking on this government’s ambition to build a National Care Service. 

Much has been made of the ambitions of the Casey Commission, the independent commission charged with the role of laying the foundations for a National Care Service, since its launch in January 2025. NCF and our members have taken every opportunity to engage with its work and have created opportunities to visit services and understand the main challenges for providers and people drawing on care.  

After decades of failure by governments, of various political persuasions, to deliver ambitious reform, we felt the announcement of the Casey Commission provided a clear indication by Labour of their intention to accelerate plans for social care, reaching the very heart of their stated agenda. This would enable the government to tackle socio-economic and health inequalities, promote economic growth and move public services towards a more preventative approach.    

The changes in demography and need are well documented, and we urge government to be bold with a reform that rapidly responds to the national conversation on the future of care. This needs to be underpinned by significant transformational capital and revenue investment, placing high quality, sustainable, not for profit care and support at the centre of communities.  

Social care is important for people, for communities and for the economy. Well-resourced social care empowers adults of all ages, with different circumstances, to live their best lives. It helps to maintain vital connections and relationships, it enables choice and control, it supports local economies and employment opportunities, and it tackles inequalities. By supporting people’s health and wellbeing, it also alleviates some of the pressures on other parts of the public sector, including the NHS.     

We need a government that is bold in implementing transformational adult social care reform, founded on the exceptional, often uncelebrated work of the sector - helping thousands of people with care and support needs to live their best lives, every day.   

 These reforms are desperately needed and as Baroness Casey has observed, years overdue. They must be introduced via a new, inclusive national conversation which the public understands, underpinned by significant capital and revenue investment, placing high quality sustainable care and support at the centre of communities. Four key principles should underpin the government’s approach:  

• A National Care Service with not-for-profit care and support at its heart  

• Investment in our exceptional social care workforce to ensure those working in care and support are properly valued  

• Adoption of new technology and innovation – ensuring care for the future is both smarter and greener  

• A care system which embeds rights, fairness and choice for people.  

Transformational change on this scale will require far more than just money. There will be an important role of all of us in social care (and beyond), requiring a spirit of partnership, an eagerness to change and adapt, the celebration of innovation and a culture of learning from one another.   

However, more funding and investment will be needed if reforms are to succeed – this is estimated as an extra £6.4bn in 2028/29, rising to an extra £12.7bn in 2034/35, representing a 3.9% annual real-terms increase overall, in order to meet rising levels of demand from both an ageing population and rising levels of health and care complexity 1.  

Below we set out these four key principles in more detail. Click on the + symbol within each section to read more.   

References, indicated numerically in bold text, are linked further down the page.