Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve adult social care provision.

We recognise the challenges facing the adult social care system, and we are taking immediate action to improve the situation. These actions include:

• making up to £3.7 billion of additional funding available for social care authorities in 2025/26, including a £880 million increase in the Social Care Grant, resulting in a 6.8% increase to local government spending power in cash terms;
• taking forward a range of initiatives in 2025/26, including funding more home adaptations, promoting better use of care technologies, and professionalising the adult social care workforce;
• increasing the Carer's Allowance weekly earnings limit in April 2025 from £151 a week to £196, to support our unpaid family carers;
• introducing the first ever Fair Pay Agreement to the adult social care sector so that care professionals are recognised and rewarded for the important work that they do; and
• launching an independent commission, which will begin in April 2025, as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service. Chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, the commission will make clear recommendations for how to rebuild the adult social care system to meet the current and future needs of the population.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes commissioning a diverse range of care and support services that enable people to access quality care. The Department funds an annual programme of support to local authorities and their partners to help them improve the delivery of their statutory duties.