Social care should be a national priority and economic opportunity, says Care England report

Care England is calling on the Government to treat adult social care as a national priority, move beyond short-term fixes, and recognise its contribution of approximately £78 billion to the UK economy each year.

A new report, The Power of Care: the system behind our society, states that adult social care is not a service for “other people” nor simply a support system for moments of crisis. It is essential national infrastructure: enabling people to live independently, supporting families to remain in work, sustaining local communities, easing pressure on the NHS and contributing significantly to the national economy.

It calls for a fundamental shift in how adult social care is understood, funded and supported. Currently, the sector supports more than 800,000 people in living independently, and adult social care accounts for around 1.6 million jobs in England.

The report adds that although high-quality, person-centred care is already being delivered across the country, the system around it remains too fragile, fragmented and short-term to ensure this is a consistent experience for everyone.

Social care is the “system behind our society”

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said: “Social care is being asked to do more than ever, with less and less funding to meet the demand – supporting prevention, enabling hospital discharge, reducing pressure on the NHS, strengthening neighbourhood health models, supporting unpaid carers and contributing to local economic growth. The opportunities are set out in this report clearly, although the report is equally clear that the government must make immediate and longer-term changes so that the country can reap these benefits in full.”

“The strongest examples of good care already exist across the country. What is missing is not ambition from providers or commitment from the workforce, but a system that enables good care to become the norm rather than the exception.”

“Social care is about living, not just surviving. It gives people confidence, dignity, independence and connection. It allows families to be families, workers to remain in work, and communities to stay resilient. If we are serious about building a healthier, fairer and more productive country, we must be serious about social care. That means moving beyond short-term fixes and recognising the sector for what it is, the system behind our society.”

Strategic reform programme needed

The report says the Government should treat adult social care as an economic opportunity, including in the short term through a clear multi-year funding trajectory for the Fair Pay Agreement, cost-reflective fee rates, reduced duplication in oversight, stronger integration with the NHS, and long-term investment in care infrastructure, community provision and digital systems.

Over the medium to long term, it hopes that a more strategic reform programme can take place, moving from fragility to stability, involving local authorities and providers, reducing siloing across DHSC, MHCLG and other government departments, and recognising care’s role in prevention and rehabilitation as part of a more integrated health and care system. 

Written in partnership with marketing agency PLMR, the report drew on 177 survey responses and 17 interviews from across adult social care, including providers, care workers, people who draw on care and support, family members, and sector representatives.

Survey respondents overwhelmingly recognised the importance of social care, with 92.9% saying it is essential or very important to quality of life. Nearly two-thirds of survey respondents said social care is not currently in a strong enough position to meet people’s needs now and in the future. In addition, 57.9% of survey respondents said the NHS and social care work together poorly or not very well.

Alison Bloomer

Alison Bloomer is Editor of Learning Disability Today.

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