The King's Fund -
This latest 360 review outlines and analyses 12 key trends in adult social care in England over recent years.
NHS Providers -
This briefing highlights the benefits of supporting people with frailty in the community at every stage of the frailty care pathway, while considering the risks to be managed. It shares examples of good practice, and explores some of the barriers to further progress, looking at what can be done to address these and ensure people with frailty receive the right care at the right time in the right place.
Local Government Information Unit -
This annual survey finds that the local government sector in England is increasingly in a state of financial crisis. Over half of respondents to the survey said they were likely to declare effective bankruptcy in the next five years, 9% said they were likely to in the next financial year. Respondents from councils with responsibility for social care say that children’s social care is by far the most urgent short-term pressure, and adults and children’s social care together make up the most serious long-term pressure.
The Centre for Social Justice -
In 2021-22 alone, nearly 400,000 carers had to leave their jobs to care for older or disabled family members. Despite this, there’s a strong desire among carers to engage in paid employment, with a majority indicating they would work if adequate support were provided. Supporting family carers in their employment could potentially save the UK economy £6 billion annually. This report proposes several key policies to facilitate carers’ participation in the labour market, including: delivering ten hours of free home care to those they are looking after; providing £2000 for home adaptations; raising the Carer’s Allowance earnings threshold; and mandating five days of paid leave for carers in the workplace.Publish
Skills for Care -
This publication contains information on staff employed (directly and indirectly) by adult social services departments in local authorities in England as at September 2023. Topics covered include: the size of the workforce, employment overview, recruitment and retention, demographics, and pay information.
Institute of Public Care -
This is the report of an of evaluation of Norfolk County Council’s model of support for unpaid carers. It found many positive aspects of the support that were highly valued by carers and enhanced their wellbeing, and makes recommendations on scope for further improvements. It did not find evidence that the service can offer substantial savings by preventing carer breakdown, and challenges the assumptions that underpinned these expectations.
Department of Health and Social Care -
This document contains information for local authorities about the social care charging arrangements for 2024 to 2025. It includes details about: capital limits; personal expenses allowance; minimum income guarantee; and Savings Credit.
Health Foundation -
As we head towards the next general election, political parties are developing manifestos for government. Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have yet set out detailed plans on social care. This long read sets out the main options for reforming the funding system for social care in England – including those often proposed by political parties – outline the basic features of each policy approach and estimate their potential costs. It starts with a summary of the rationale for funding reform.
Age UK -
This report contains the results of Age Concern's polling and survey work on the following topics: caring for others; physical and mental health; access to NHS and social care services; community life and social contact; cost of living increases; and concern about winter. For each of these topics, the report includes data from both Age Concern's national polling and their internally managed survey of people across the UK aged 50 years and over. These data paint a worrying picture for many older people, underlining the case for urgent investment and reform of the services and support people rely on as they age to sustain their health, wellbeing and independence.
UK Health Security Agency -
This research explores the experience of social care practitioners, employed by Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered providers to provide domiciliary care and care in care homes, in relation to extreme temperatures. This evidence will inform the development of climate change adaptation interventions for the adult social care sector. The findings contribute to developing the evidence base concerning the impacts of climate change on public health and ultimately will help the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to protect the nation’s health from threats in the environment.