Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of postponing the introduction of social care reforms on care provider stability.

While charging reforms have been delayed, we have provided councils with a further £3.2 billion, which we are re-investing in social care through the Social Care Grant. This includes a ringfenced fund of £400 million in 2023/24, which will increase to £680 million in 2024/25 and maintain the current levels of Fair Cost of Care funding of £162 million per year. This will assist local authorities to address waiting lists, low fee rates and workforce pressures in the adult social care sector.