Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) carers are able to secure adequate respite and (b) residential and non-residential respite care is available for the person they care for.

The Government recognises that access to breaks is important for carers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Day services and other forms of respite care are vital and we are working with local authorities, the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure, where possible, the safe resumption of these services.

Under current restrictions, day services can continue to meet with up to 30 participants, where formally organised and we have worked with Social Care Institute of Excellence to support them in publishing guidance for day care managers, commissioners and providers, to help them make decisions on the safe operation of day services. Throughout the pandemic, we have provided almost £1.8 billion in specific funding to adult social care services including day centre and respite services.