Government sets out the adult social care next steps, including launch of the Older People’s Housing Task Force

The government today released its Adult Social Care statement, ‘Next steps for putting people at the heart of care’ to mixed reviews. It sets out the plans on implementing the funding commitments mad in its 2021 White Paper. There is sector disappointment that the £300m Housing Transformation Fund has been abandoned but, in other news, it sees the launch of the Older People’s Housing Task Force.

The Task Force, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Levelling Up, Homes and Communities, will be independently chaired and decide how best to provide a greater range of suitable housing depending on the support people need whether in their own home or a residential home.

However, commentators have pointed out that today’s announcement halves the amount of funding promised in the White Paper. And while there is also welcome news with £102m over 2 years for aids and adaptations and further investment in technology enabled care as part of a digitalisation programme, there is now no allocation for the Housing Transformation Fund to support local authorities drive wider sector-led housing improvement.

Speaking at a University of the 3rd Age webinar on our future homes, the Housing LIN's CEO, Jeremy Porteus, said:

“I am delighted that the Task Force is now finally a reality. However, following today’s reduced funding announcements for adult social care, we need to find other mechanisms to give councils the extra impetus to undertake strategic market analysis of the housing needs and preferences of their populations. I am encouraged that many are already strongly committed to improving the range and quality of accommodation to ensure that older and disabled people have as wide a choice as possible locally. The Housing LIN’s work with ADASS' regions demonstrates what can be achieved."

Other aspects of today’s announcement that will be of interest to people working in housing and includes:

• £100 million to accelerate digitisation in the sector, including investment in digital social care records so staff have the latest information at their fingertips to best meet the needs of those receiving care.
• A £1.4 billion Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund which local authorities can use flexibly including to increase the rates paid to social care providers or reduce waiting times.
• £50 million to improve social care insight, data and quality assurance – including person-level data collections and new Care Quality Commission assessments of local authorities to improve poor performance on social care and identify where further support is needed.
• And, alongside these reform commitments, the Better Care Fund, which brings together health, social care and housing to help older people and those with complex needs live at home for longer, will increase from £7.7 billion last year to £8.1 billion in 2023 and £8.7 billion in 2024. The total fund includes £1.6 billion to improve hospital discharge arrangements - £600 million next year and £1 billion the year following.