Long-term funding of adult social care Our response to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee inquiry

Our evidence to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee inquiry on the long-term funding of adult social care.

Adult social care public funding fell by 12% in real terms between 2010/11 and 2018/19, and COVID-19 has created additional cost pressures.

The pandemic has highlighted the need for fundamental reform of the adult social care system to address longstanding policy failures, including workforce shortages and poor employment conditions. Comprehensive reform of the social care system will require additional government investment – but is not unaffordable.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee opened an inquiry focusing on how adult social care should be funded in the long-term, taking the impact of the pandemic into account.

Our evidence to the Committee inquiry considers:

• how COVID-19 has changed the landscape for long-term funding reform of the adult social care sector
• how additional funds for the adult social care sector should be raised
• how the adult social care market could be stabilised
• how the adult social care market can be incentivised to compete on quality and innovation.