Over 60 organisations demand Government transparency for adult social care funding
28th November 2024
As you know, for some time now, we have been urging the government to share the data they use to make decisions on funding for adult social care.
After numerous attempts through legal processes to request government transparency regarding adult social care funding, successive governments have consistently refused to supply this information. This is in clear opposition to the new ministerial code, drawn up just this month, which requires honesty and openness.
As a result, we and over 60 other organisations have signed this open letter, sent to the Prime Minister on 28th November 2024, to express our deep concern directly to the Prime Minister.
Dear Prime Minister,
The social care funding crisis
Budget announcements made this Autumn by your Government are set to make things dramatically worse for millions of older and working age disabled people and carers without means, who desperately need a social care system that is adequately funded. Earlier this month, the #ProvidersUnite coalition of over 150 social care providers warned of:
“a systemic collapse of care services across Britain “... unless social care is given concessions or the Local Government settlement is adjusted to cover the additional financial burden of the budget announcements relating to employers NI and the national minimum wage.“
The Association of Directors of Adult Services’ recent survey indicates Adult social care budgets are under severe strain, with a staggering 81% of councils expecting to overspend their adult social care budgets this year—up from 72% in 2023/24—with an estimated total overspend of £564 million. The Health Foundation estimates the annual funding gap to be £8.4 Billion per year for social care.
The additional £600 million allocated to local government in the budget will be immediately gobbled up by council’s overspend and will do nothing to reduce the additional financial burden of the budget announcements, leaving people who rely on publicly funded social care and people who work in publicly funded social care in a worse position than before the budget.
Your Government lacks transparency on social care funding
The new ministerial code published on 6th November states at 1.6.d.
“Ministerial office requires candour and openness. Ministers should demand and welcome candid advice. They should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest which should be decided in accordance with the relevant statutes and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Ministers should be open and candid with public inquiries.”
In an attempt to understand the evidence used by government to determine sufficiency of spending on adult social care, legal rights organisation Access Social Care made several Freedom of Information requests to HM Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Housing Government and Local Communities. Our requests were denied. Cases have now been heard by the Information Commissioner and the Information Tribunal. So far both of these respected institutions responsible for ensuring government transparency have held it was in the public interest for the information to be disclosed. The Tribunal has ordered Government departments to disclose requested information.
But despite promises on government transparency when in opposition, and the new ministerial code promising openness and candour, your Government has continued to refuse to share information on how central government determines sufficiency of funding for adult social care. HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Govt and Local Communities have requested permission to appeal the Tribunal decision, and a second case is due to be heard by the Tribunal this winter into 2025. If Government has confidence in its assessment of sufficiency, why go to such lengths to prevent this disclosure?
To Govern is to Choose – it’s time for a new approach
There is no doubt that government has to make difficult budget decisions, but the lack of candour with the public about social care funding is making things worse for older and disabled people and carers.
We are calling on your Government to take a different approach. Government transparency and accountability are fundamental to a functioning democracy and fosters trust in government departments.
With a Comprehensive Spending Review concluding in 2025, government transparency on adult social care has never been more needed.
It's only through openness and transparency, and working with the sector, civil society and everyone who draws on care or has unmet care needs, that we'll break the impasse on social care funding that has paralysed reform for decades. Our offer is to support the government on this issue, so that your ambition of a National Care Service (including the Fair Pay Agreement) is a once-in-a-generation success. That has to start with openness and transparency on what the costs really are.
Over 60 organisations who have signed this letter agree that to improve decision making on the funding of adult social care, we need you to:
1) be open and transparent about how Government calculates sufficiency of funding for adult social care, and work with the social care sector to ensure the right evidence is considered when deciding how to fund adult social care..
2) take immediate action in the Local Government settlement to prevent the systemic collapse of social care services by allocating funding to address the shortfall in current social care spending and put in place a long-term funding commitment to meet current and future demand. Piecemeal pots of funding will not deliver the change, services or stability the sector and care users need.
3) share equality impact information so that civil society can work with the Government to reduce health and social care inequalities.
It's time for actions, not words, and your actions could improve the lives of millions of older people, disabled people and carers. Please commit to government transparency on adult social care funding once and for all.
Yours sincerely,
Achieve together Ltd
Access Social Care
Age UK Lancashire
Aldingbourne Trust
Aspens
Association for Real Change
Association of Mental Health Providers
Aurora Nexus
Autism Alliance UK
Autism at Kingwood
Avenues Group
Being the Boss
Bridge Care Services Ltd
Bristol Reclaiming Independent Living (BRIL)
Bromley Mencap
Bury Older People's Network
Campaign for Freedom of Information
Campaign for Real Care
Camphill Village Trust
Care and Support Alliance
Care England
Centre for Care, University of Sheffield
Certitude
Choice Support
Civil Service Pensioners Alliance (CSPA)
Dimensions UK
Father Hudson's Caritas
FitzRoy
GM Coalition of Disabled People
Hft - Learning Disability Allies
Hollybank Trust.
Homecare Association
Imagine Act and Succeed
Independent Care Group
Independent Living Group Ltd
Jayne Kilgallen interim solutions
Learning Disability England
Learning Disability Network London
Leeds Care Association
Leonard Cheshire
MacIntyre
Milestones Trust
National Care Association
National Care Forum
National Star
Papworth Trust
PossAbilities
Quality Healthcare Solutions
Race Equality Foundation
Richmond AID
Rossendale Trust
SeeAbility
South Tees NHS Foundation Trust
Studio 3
Supportability
The Together Trust
The West of England Centre for Independent Living (WECIL)
The Wilf Ward Family Trust
United Response
University of Sheffield
Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG)
Walsingham Support
Wirral Mencap