Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he plans to take to ensure that small local social care providers who are unable to fund historic back-pay liabilities for sleep-in shifts will not be forced into closure.

The Government recognises the pressures that sleep-in liabilities are placing on social care providers of all sizes, and is exploring options to minimise any impact on the sector. Any intervention to support the sector would need to be proportionate and necessary.

In the interim, the Government will continue to work closely with stakeholders to ensure that we have a clear understanding of any impact the sector may face.