Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to implement the provisions of the Care Act 2014 on protecting individuals from unaffordable care costs.

The Government inherited a commitment to implement charging reforms, including a cap on care costs and an extended means test, in October 2025. Regrettably, funding for these reforms had not been guaranteed, preparations for full rollout were not on track, and thus it was impossible to deliver these reforms by October.

The means test thresholds for support with adult social care costs continue to be reviewed annually.

The Government remains committed to reforming the adult social care sector and we have launched an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. The Terms of Reference are sufficiently broad to enable Baroness Casey to independently consider how to build a social care system fit for the future, including considering the affordability of care costs if she sees fit.