PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Social Services: Costs (10 February 2022)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with local authorities regarding the additional cost of increased numbers of individual assessments for adult social care following the publication of the Adult Social Care Reform White Paper.

Asked by:
Karin Smyth (Labour)

No such discussions have taken place. The introduction of a cap on eligible care costs from October 2023 will limit the amount people will have to pay towards the cost of their eligible care and support needs. More people will also be eligible for local authority means-tested support. We recognise that the reforms will increase the number of people who will come into contact with their local authority and whose care and support needs and financial situation, local authorities will need to assess.

The additional costs associated with these changes will be covered in the adult social care reform programme, announced on 7 September 2021. During this Spending Review period, over £3.6 billion has been made available for reforming the social care charging system, including conducting the necessary assessments, and enable all local authorities to move towards paying providers a fair rate for care. Officials are considering the most appropriate approach for distributing this funding, including through discussions with local authorities on their expected costs.

Answered by:
Gillian Keegan (Conservative)
23 February 2022