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Campaigns : Care Can’t Wait

Care Can’t Wait

Care Can’t Wait

Realising the potential of social care so that everyone can live a good life

At its best, adult social care enables hundreds of thousands of us to live meaningful lives at home and in our communities. But it’s not always there for everyone who needs it. That’s why we’re providing a platform for people who draw on care and support to share their story and, together, we’re making the case for improvement and investment – so that it can work for all of us.

Show your support Read our stories
4 in 5

of us will need adult social care in our lifetime

400K+

adults in England are waiting for adult social care

4.7M

people in England are unpaid carers

Care Can’t Wait: Watch Abbie’s story

Take action:
Join the Care Can’t Wait campaign

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We should all have the chance to live a good life, and social care allows us to do so.

But sadly, too often, this isn’t the reality for everyone in England today and without the glue of social care, lives are falling apart.

Without urgent action, care and support for us and our loved ones may not be there when we need it.

That’s why, together, we can and must transform care and support. By demanding ambitious reform and proper investment, we can build a network of care and support that works for everyone. Join our movement calling for change. You’ll receive campaign updates and discover how you can make a difference in your community and nationally.

Please join us, because care can’t wait.

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Tell your story

Do you draw on care and support? We would love to hear from you.

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Download our campaign toolkit

Download free campaign materials and help us amplify the call for change.

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Share it with to your loved ones

When we talk about social care, we talk about all of us. Share the campaign with those you care about.

Find out more

Supporting Carers Hub
A storehouse of great ideas from social care teams and other organisations on how they’re improving support for unpaid carers.

A national emergency for social care
Care, support and safeguards ensure that all of us can live the lives we want to live. Adult social care is all about people – the millions of people who are unpaid carers, the 1.5 million people who are paid to deliver vital care and support, and most importantly the older and disabled people and […]

ADASS calls for emergency measures to ensure care staff can provide vital care and support
Emergency measures must be put in place to ensure that social care staff get fuel for their cars so that they can continue to provide vital support to disabled and older people, care leaders say. ADASS, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, is hearing reports from around England of care staff struggling to […]

ADASS calls for reprioritisation of the overall social care reform programme
In response to reports that the Government may delay introduction of the cap on personal care costs and increased capital limits for state support for such costs, ADASS is calling for reprioritisation of the overall social care reform programme. Cathie Williams, ADASS Chief Executive said: “While we understand the reasons for a short delay in […]

ADASS responds to the Government scrapping adult social care charging reforms
Our response to the Government’s announcement that it will not proceed with adult social care charging reforms.

Celebrating the Essential Work of our Social Care Workforce
In celebration of Professional Care Workers’ Week 2024, we caught up with Carolyn Nice, Director of Adults, Health and Wellbeing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council as she discusses how she got into social care work, the importance of the Skills for Care Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in England and how she thinks the work of social workers and carers can be valued.  

ADASS Spring Survey 2024
Our annual survey of Directors of Adult Social Services, essential reading for anyone interested in the challenges facing adult social care and implications for the NHS.

ADASS Autumn Survey 2024
Our annual survey of Directors of Adult Social Services, essential reading for anyone interested in the challenges facing adult social care and implications for the NHS.

Social care ‘endangered’ by ‘catastrophic’ national insurance increases, warns ADASS President
The Government’s Budget decision to increase employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will have “catastrophic consequences for millions of people drawing on care and support” will warn Melanie Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).

Unlocking £300 million of income for adult social care
By Paul Mason, managing director – OnDemandservices, Civica Adult social care (ASC) is facing a funding gap of around £1.2bn this year, and that’s just to keep up with the current need. As a result, 81% of councils expect to overspend on their budgets in 2024/25. It’s no exaggeration to say that lots of councils are […]

People needing more intense care and support, pushing councils to overspend, says ADASS survey
People needing more intense care and support after hospital, pushing local councils to overspend, according to a new survey. People are needing more complex care and support due to illness and disability, but local councils are struggling financially to meet people’s higher-level needs says the latest annual survey from the Association of Directors of Adult […]

Balancing adult social care: Rising costs, funding gaps, and the path forward
ADASS President, Melanie Williams reflects on the impact of the Autumn Budget on adult social care and the wider community sector.