Hft has taken its continued fight for funding for the social care sector to Westminster – urging the Government to ‘act now’ to save services from the ‘brink of collapse.’
Hft CEO Stephen Veevers presented the findings of the annual Sector Pulse Check report to an audience of MPs, sector leaders, services users, supporters and donors at Portcullis House this week.
The report, carried out in partnership with Care England, is a snapshot of the key financial and workforce challenges facing the sector based on responses from more than 200 small, medium, and large adult social care providers who support more than 128,000 people across the UK. Key challenges contained in the report include the ongoing workforce and financial pressures facing the sector – expected to worsen in 2025 without ‘immediate’ and ‘robust’ intervention. These include the changes to Employers’ National Insurance contributions in the recent budget as well as the ongoing slump in international recruitment caused by a tightening of immigration rules.
The findings revealed that one third of care providers are considering ceasing operations entirely, placing the care of tens of thousands of people in jeopardy and threatening to further destabilise the NHS and local authorities.
The Government announced earlier this year a new adult social care commission headed up by Baroness Louise Casey to review the social care sector, a move welcomed by Hft and Care England. But with the review not due to be complete until 2028, Hft says it is not moving swiftly enough to avert a worsening crisis in the sector.
Hft CEO Stephen Veevers called on the Government to use the data in front of them – including evidence contained in the Dilnot Report and the Unfair to Care report – as a ‘basis of evidence’ to take the action needed to support the sector.
Mr Veevers said: “It is beyond doubt that our sector is at a tipping point.
“We are calling on all Government to use the data infront of them already as a basis of evidence to say we need help and we need it now.
“We cannot wait until 2028.
“2028 is too late for the social care sector to be the thriving environment for people who need good care and support.”
Hft wants the Government to commit to a credible, multi-year funding settlement for the adult care sector when the Spending Review concludes in summer 2025. It says funding increases must cover future increases in the national living wage and any changes to employers National Insurance and inflation to avoid real-term pay cuts and the large-scale market exit of care providers.
The charity is also calling on the Government to provide a fully funded roadmap towards parity between care workers and workers in the NHS – including adopting the recommendations of the Skills for Care Workforce Strategy to address the high vacancy and turnover rate in the sector.
MP and Liberal Democrat chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Layla Moran who gave a keynote speech at the launch, said: “This report, this Pulse Check on where the sector is, is frankly, harrowing reading.
“The Government needs to put patients first, put service users first and their families.
“And if they want to reform social care, the best place for them to start is to speak to the people who help them day in, day out and make sure they get the care that they need.
“As one lady which put it to me – It is the NHS that keeps her alive, but it is the social care sector that helps her thrive.”
The report also featured testimonials from supported people on what’s achievable when the right support is in place.
Will, who has been supported by Hft for the last eight years, was among those attending the launch where he spoke about the difference the charity had made to his life. He said: “For me, Hft has provided a lifeline for independence when previously it had been hard for me to integrate on my own without a support system needed.
“Without Hft I would never have got as far as I have in terms of my social development.
“I have a lot of gratitude for the workers and teams that support everyone within the Hft system.”
Briony, who supports Will in her role as a support worker, said: “Working for Hft has completely changed my life.
“I am really hoping that going forward we can get the funding we need. We need the government to listen.
“What we do as a charity is amazing.”
You can find out more about Sector Pulse Check and download the report here: Sector Pulse Check 2024