Five point plan for county and unitary councils: point three

Five point plan for county and unitary councils: point three With a year to go until the introduction of flagship reforms in adult social care, England’s largest councils today call for a delay – warning that the system is under so much pressure care services could be worsened if they are introduced too soon.

From October 2023, reforms to protect people from catastrophic care costs and make more people eligible for state support with their care costs come into force. These include a more generous means-test and a cap on care costs of £86,000 – two policies which are supported by the County Councils Network (CCN).

But the CCN warns that the system is under serious pressure currently, with councils facing a ‘perfect storm’ of financial and workforce pressures that mean the government should push back their introduction to October 2024.

The call comes in a new report released today by the CCN. The document is Point Three of the network’s Five Point Plan for County and Unitary Councils, designed to influence the policies of the new government.

See also:

• Social care: Delay cap on costs to ease crisis, councils warn BBC News
• Social care: 'Jo's care will cost £1.5k a week - the system is broken' BBC News
• Social care reforms should be delayed for another two years to avoid making 'perfect storm' worse, council chiefs warn The Daily Mail
• What are ‘the five pillars’ for social care reform? Home Care Insight