What the Queen's Speech means for the care sector

Two major social care announcements were contained in the Queen’s Speech; the first reconfirming the Government’s commitment to a cap on individual care costs, the second establishing the right of members of the public to receive help for care needs for themselves and their loved ones from their local council.

Janet Morrison, chief executive of charity Independent Age, is among the care sector voices eager to find out whether the year ahead is a defining one for care reform.

She comments: “We welcome the announcement of a Care and Support Bill in the Queen’s Speech as recognition that the government is now to act with purpose to reform social care.

“The details of the bill’s proposals to cap the amount that individuals pay towards their care will be keenly awaited as they will determine whether the bill does genuinely offer an end to the ‘catastrophic cost’ of social care that many ordinary families face.”

However, Ms Morrison is keen to see that the Government is held to account on its promises, continuing: “There is a real risk that the fine print of the bill may offer far less protection than it first appears. We also have concerns that the provisions of the bill may be too complex to be easily understood and we strongly support recent calls by the Joint Committee on the Draft Care and Support Bill for a national awareness campaign on the care and support offer.

“We look to Government to acknowledge the Committee’s recommendations in legislating for independent financial advice for families of care home residents signing up to a third party top-up or deferred payment agreement. It is essential that the Bill recognises the fundamentally different nature of independent financial advice and how the lack of such advice prevents older people from being able to make informed decisions on how to pay for the care they need.”

“Finally, we call on the Government to recognise and acknowledge that there remains an urgent need for adequate investment in social care. Without this, there is a danger that these welcome legislative changes will not produce the urgently-needed level of transformation on the ground for older people using services, their families and carers.”

Bernard Walker, chair of the Adults Faculty of The College of Social Work sees the care of older and vulnerable people as a mark of the society we live in, saying: “We must fund care for all people who need it. A national eligibility threshold is an excellent idea but it must be set at a level that ensures people’s essential needs are met.

“We all recognise that funding is tight. But a civilised society must provide care for citizens most in need. Only by investing in quality services can we ensure tight budgets are managed effectively, while still enabling people to receive the support they need.

“Local authorities realise the value of using skilled and trained social workers to carry out care assessments and work in partnership with other healthcare professionals, to keep people out of hospital and living as independently as possible.

“Social workers are key to delivering these effective early intervention services, producing savings in NHS acute care budgets which can then be reinvested in social work and social care. This is one of the main ways to ensure people’s well-being. It will be a measure of the legislation’s success whether or not the Care and Support Bill achieves this.”

He continues: “To see an end to the uncertainty over social care funding that this legislation will provide is welcomed. People need to know exactly how much the state will support them in their old age so that they can plan properly for the future. At least now social workers will be better informed to advise people on their care arrangements.

“However, we continue to be concerned that the cap will be set too high, considerably higher than recommended by the Dilnot report. As a result we fear that many older people are unlikely to be able to meet this cost of providing for their long term care without selling their one main asset, which is their home.“

Paul Green of Saga Respite for Carers Trust would prefer to see more of a focus on unpaid carers, commenting: “Nominations and stories sent to the Saga Respite for Carers Trust paints a very stark picture of the lives of carers, one that shows that many are reaching the end of their tether, their own health affected by the constant stress and demands of looking after a chronically ill or disabled loved one."

He continues: “Whilst they care because of love and duty they should not have to struggle so hard emotionally and financially when they are doing the right thing.”

"Unlike most workers in the UK, they cannot simply head off for a few days to get a break, indeed many are fortunate if they get a few hours to themselves to try and recharge their batteries.

"The fact is that being a family carer is a 24/7, 365 days a year role without the support or breaks that other workers might receive, and this simply drives many to the point of emotional and physical exhaustion.”

The Queen’s Speech also saw the announcement of a new pensions bill, with a single-tier pension planned for 2026 when the UK retirement age rises to 67. While care employers will also be keen to assess whether new plans to curb immigration will impact upon a sector that employs a high percentage of foreign workers.