Last week the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities cross-party committee released the full report detailing the findings of their inquiry into the long-term funding of adult social care. Their recommendations echoed what many across the sector have been calling for – an immediate cash injection to address unmet needs, the staffing crisis and the existing funding deficit.

Social care has been kicked down the road by successive governments. So, when Boris Johnson promised to “fix the crisis in social care once and for all”, it was certainly most welcomed. But have the social care policy reforms introduced by the government in 2021 and 2022 addressed what the sector needs the most? Despite good intentions, sadly, the answer is no. 

When our social care sector is at its best, it enables people to live in the place they call home with the people and things they love, in communities where we look out for one another, doing the things that matter to them. 

That is the #SocialCareFuture we want, but it is only achievable with a recognised and respected workforce. 

So far, government interventions to support the recruitment and retention of the social care workforce to deliver that vision, have been less than impactful. And it was only last month that ADASS described the sector as “in the centre of the storm” due to the immense pressure of staffing shortfalls.

Against a backdrop of inflation and cost of living crisis, these pressures will only increase if local authority contracts fail to meet the workforce costs providers face. The answer many are coming to is not sustainable, with providers forecasting how they will utilise reserves to see-through this winter.  

The incoming Prime Minister mustn’t pay lip service to the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities committee report. Instead, they must build on the policy reforms their predecessor implemented. We’d also like to see them take a bold approach to social care and one that meets the needs of people who have a disability, autism, learning disability or mental health support needs who are too often invisible in the social care debate. 

We’re concerned our sector will plunge into an even more profound crisis if they don’t. 

  • Ali Gunn is Public Affairs and Policy Lead for United Response

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