Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.72 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on social care of a £600 million investment.

This Government recognises the pressures on councils delivering social care services. Including the £600 million of new grant funding announced at the Autumn Budget, the Government is providing over £10 billion in 2025-26 Settlement funding for social care through the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund (MSIF), the Better Care Fund (including discharge funding), Social Care Grant, Children’s Social Care Prevention Grant and Children and Families Grant.

This funding, alongside income from unringfenced sources including council tax, can be used to address the range of pressures facing the social care sector. We provided more information on funding for local government in the Policy Statement published on 28 November, and further details will be included in the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.