Government rejects four recommendations from MPs’ adult care report

The government has rejected four recommendations from a committee of MPs regarding adult care funding, and only partly accepted a string of others.

The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) committee has published the government’s response to its report on the long-term funding of adult social care.

In its response, the government rejected four of its recommendations:

• The government should publish a 10-year plan for how its vision in the People at the Heart of Care White Paper will be achieved
• The government should consider introducing statutory requirements for local authorities to produce plans for housing for older and disabled people based on assessments of housing need
• The government should monitor the impact of adding care workers to the Shortage Occupation List on vacancies and be prepared to extend the visa period beyond 12 months, to lower the salary threshold, or both
• The government should carry out a review of carers assessments, including of the terminology, co-produced with carers

Committee Chair, Clive Betts, has written to Social Care Minister, Helen Whately, to raise concerns about the government’s rejection of these recommendations and its ‘lack of clarity and detail’ on how and when the government will implement the other recommendations, most of which have only been partially accepted.

Betts said: ‘It is disappointing that the government have not taken this opportunity to set out in detail, with clear milestones, how its vision in the People at the at the Heart of Care White Paper will be achieved. Adult social care needs a long-term plan to help ensure people get the support they need to remain independent at home and that the social care workforce receive the recognition and career development they deserve.

‘Adult social care remains a key priority and it is of great concern that there continues to be a large funding gap which needs to be filled. Those in need of care, their loved ones, and care staff deserve better.’

The LUHC committee’s report, published last August, said the government’s approach to adult social care was little more than a vision, with no roadmap, no timetable, no milestones, and no measures of success.

The report examined a range of issues relating to the financing of adult social care and made a series of recommendations on issues such as the government’s charging reforms and local government finance, unpaid carers and staffing.

Image: Fabian Blank