Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to bring forward the timeline for social care reform.

The Government is already delivering reform to adult social care and progressing towards a future National Care Service. This progress is built on higher standards, greater choice and control, and better join-up between services — with over £4 billion of additional funding available for adult social care by 2028/29.

We are:

• Raising the quality of care, including by legislating for a Fair Pay Agreement backed by £500 million, expanding career pathways, and investing £12 million in workforce development.
• Improving join-up between health and social care through neighbourhood health services, reform of the Better Care Fund, and enhanced digital and data infrastructure to support safer, more personalised care.
• Expanding choice and control, including through encouraging the greater use of direct payments, £172 million for home adaptations, and new care technology standards to help people choose the right support.

To help shape medium and longer-term reforms, the Independent Commission into Adult Social Care, chaired by Baroness Casey, will report in two phases — first in 2026, and again by 2028. Implementation will follow each phase. We have been clear that addressing the complex, deep-rooted challenges facing the sector will take time. This timeline allows Baroness Casey to carry out the national conversation needed to reach broad public and cross-party consensus on reforms to build a social care system fit for the future.