Thank you for contacting me about social care and the Spring Budget.
There are currently 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, so it is crucial that the social care system is set up to meet the needs of those affected by dementia.
I note your calls for the Chancellor to use the upcoming Spring Budget to invest in social care and to commit to a long-term workforce strategy. I appreciate your concerns on this matter, however, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt any announcements that will be made at the Spring Budget. I would like to reassure you that the Government is fully committed to the 10-year vision for adult social care set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper.
I want care to be of outstanding quality, personalised and accessible. I am reassured that the social care workforce remains at the heart of the Government’s reform plans. The vision is for an adult social care workforce where people feel supported, recognised, and have opportunities to develop and progress. The Government’s reforms will provide the workforce with more support to develop and progress within their careers and will improve the quality, safety, and personalisation of care.
The Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care plan, published in April 2023, set out how the Government is investing up to £700 million over this year and next, building on over £100 million already invested in 2022/23. This included substantial investment in workforce reform including a new care workforce pathway, a new level 2 qualification, investment in apprenticeships and funding to pay for thousands of learning and development courses for social care staff.
Since then, the Government has announced an additional £570 million funding boost for local authorities to make tangible improvements to adult social care workforce capacity, including to boost care worker pay.
Finally, the Government has announced its intention to develop and publish a Major Conditions Strategy. The strategy will set out a strong and coherent policy agenda that sets out a shift to integrated, whole-person care. Dementia is one of the six major conditions included in the strategy. Last year, the Government held a call for evidence for the Major Conditions Strategy. The Government is analysing evidence received and will respond in due course.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
