Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the cost to (a) local authorities and (b) other social care providers of retrospectively funding sleep-in shifts at the national minimum wage rate; and what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on the care sector’s ability to provide services of funding that back-pay.

The Government recognises the pressures that sleep-in liabilities are placing on local authorities and social care providers, 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, including both local authorities and providers, to ensure that we have a clear understanding of any impact the sector may face.

The Department commissioned market analysis to assess the impact of National Minimum Wage liabilities across the social care sector. This work forms part of the evidence base that is being used to assess options and is subject to further analysis and refinement. The Department has committed to sharing a summary of the analysis at the appropriate time.