ADASS responds to the Government scrapping adult social care charging reforms

In response to the Government’s announcement that it will not proceed with adult social care charging reforms, Melanie Williams, President of ADASS, said:

“We are of course disappointed that Government has decided not to proceed with charging reform, in particular those changes that would have supported people with the least means to access state-funded care and support. However, the absence of allocated funding for the reforms and sufficient time to deliver them by October 2025, is why we previously called for the timeline for delivery to be reviewed.

“Whilst it is clear that any reform of adult social care will be at a cost to the Treasury, it should not be forgotten that continuing along the same path that we are on also comes at a cost, not only in monetary terms, but most importantly to the lives of people who draw on care and support, their carers and family not able to access the care and support they are need to live the lives they want.

“Our annual Survey of social care Directors shows that the financial situation facing adult social care is the worst it’s been for years and that councils are struggling to meet legal duties. We need to turn the tide and collectively commit to a new approach, this Government is right to say that we need a greater focus on community and preventative care for the NHS, but this must also include social care as otherwise we will miss a key piece of the puzzle.

“Our independently commissioned report Time to act: A roadmap for reforming care and support in England outlines solutions to many of the challenges highlighted in our survey report. An investment in social care is an investment in people and their lives.”