Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a statutory duty on local authorities to provide meals to local authority funded clients of adult social care.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are responsible for assessing individuals’ care and support needs and, where eligible, for meeting those needs. Where individuals do not meet the eligibility threshold, they can get support from local authorities in making their own arrangements for care services. Eligibility is determined with reference to specified outcomes, such as managing and maintaining nutrition, personal hygiene, managing toilet needs, being appropriately clothed, and maintaining a habitable home environment.

For people receiving support in their own home, local authorities may consider a range of options. This could include arranging or signposting to a meals service depending on the most suitable way of meeting the person’s needs. Where someone’s needs are best met in a care home setting, meals will ordinarily be included as part of the care package.

A thriving social care system extends beyond statutory services. Families and friends, communities, and the voluntary and charitable sector provide vital support to meet individuals’ needs and help people remain independent.

Any changes to legislation would be subject to the usual Parliamentary process which would include a public consultation, and thus an opportunity to consider the merits of introducing such a duty on local authorities.