Adult Social Care
‘Social care left out in the cold once again’ : Sector leaders respond to this month’s Spending Review
Sector think tanks and leaders have welcomed the extra investment announced in the Government’s first Spending Review under the new Labour administration, but warned that ‘once again, social care has been left behind’.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled a major funding package including billions for the NHS and infrastructure. However, there was no dedicated funding for social care and no clear timetable for long-promised reform.
The sector has responded with disappointment that care seems to have been left behind “once again.” https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/social-care-spending-review-reaction/
ICG Chair Mike Padgham said:
“We welcome the new Government’s investment in the NHS and public services; it is a vital first step. But yet again, social care has been left out in the cold.
There is no dedicated new funding for social care, and no clear plan for reform. Without urgent action, local authorities will still not have enough money to fund social care properly.
It’s simple, you cannot fix the NHS without fixing social care. Social care and health are two sides of the same coin and treating them separately is a mistake we cannot afford to keep making.
We urgently call for the delay to social care reform to be reversed, and for a clear timetable and funding to be set out immediately.”
Jim Kane, Chief Executive Officer at Community Integrated Care, said:
“Fixing the NHS means reforming social care – yet today’s Spending Review delivered soundbites without substance. While the Chancellor acknowledged the vital relationship between the NHS and social care, she failed to offer meaningful, immediate steps to strengthen that partnership or address the significant challenges facing our sector.
Support for the Casey Commission and the Fair Pay Agreement is welcome, but in the absence of clear timelines or funding, creates confusion and frustration for a sector that has grown tired of words with no action. This was a missed opportunity to provide the clarity, certainty, and investment that social care urgently needs. Despite a headline announcement of £4 billion in 2028/29, there’s no indication of how this will be used, who it will reach or when. We need that information now.”
Melanie Weatherley MBE, Co-Chair of the Care Association Alliance (CAA):
“The Care Association Alliance is disappointed that the 2025 Spending Review, once again fails to deliver the urgent investment and reform needed to support adult social care. Despite repeated warnings and cross-sector calls for action, the government has chosen not to address the critical funding gap nor introduce a clear requirement for the NHS to work in genuine partnership with social care services.
“The absence of any significant uplift in funding for adult social care will continue to place unsustainable pressure on local authorities, care providers and—most importantly—those who rely on care every day to live with dignity and independence.”
Sarah Jones, Chief Executive at Anchor says:
“The Government has indicated in the Spending Review that its response to the Casey Commission will outline the future direction for adult social care. However, it is vital that this issue does not slip off the agenda in the meantime.
With demand rising and costs projected to increase by over £6 billion by 2028/29, adult social care must remain a national priority. A sustainable funding plan is essential- not only to meet the needs of older people today, but to prepare for the generations to come.
With an ageing society and costs projected to increase by over £6 billion by 2028/29, adult social care must remain a national priority. A sustainable funding plan is essential- not only to meet the needs of older people today, but to prepare for the generations to come.”
Nadra Ahmed, CBE, National Care Association
“It is beyond my comprehension that Social Care remains such a low priority from this government with the choices that they have made. The fact we have over half a million people waiting for their Social Care assessments, hospitals are struggling daily to discharge people into communities, and we have a circa of 6 million unpaid carers, worryingly doesn’t appear to give the Chancellor any cause for concern.”
Adult social care reforms could see health MOTs for 65-year-olds
England’s adult social care crisis could be significantly eased by introducing Japanese-style health MOTs for individuals turning 65, a new report suggests. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/adult-social-care-reforms-could-230100714.html
Such a preventative approach, according to the Institute For Public Policy Research (IPPR), would enhance the quality of life for older adults and potentially reduce care home admissions.
The think tank has outlined a plan to curb the “spiralling costs” of adult social care, which saw local authorities face a £23.3 billion bill in 2023/24.
The IPPR argues that a shift towards early intervention could alleviate the financial burden and improve outcomes for older people.
These findings are supported by Sir Andrew Dilnot, who was the architect of reform recommendations more than a decade ago.
He stressed the urgency of addressing what he called the “yawning and indefensible gap in our collective welfare provision.”
The current state of adult social care in England is under review by the Casey Commission, which aims to develop a framework for implementing a national care service, a key promise in Labour’s election manifesto.
The initial phase of this review is anticipated to report next year, with recommendations from its probe set to be implemented in phases over a decade.
DHSC team works on channel and domain strategy for adult social care
The digital transformation team in the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) has begun work on a channel and domain strategy for adult social care content. https://www.ukauthority.com/articles/dhsc-team-works-on-channel-and-domain-strategy-for-adult-social-care
It said this will cover the platforms on which content is shared – such as websites, social media and email services – and the specific web addresses and sections of websites where information is hosted.
Hayley Sorrell, head of user centred design, and Lizzy Bell, deputy director of digital transformation, said the work is aimed at ensuring that content is structured effectively so people can find the information they need. This responds to the currently fragmented nature of much of the content, which makes it harder to navigate.
The effort will cover adult social care websites owned or commissioned by DHSC and NHS England, some of which are aimed at the care workforce and some at people who need care.
“We hope a clear channel and domain strategy will mean we can understand where current and future content should sit to serve our users best,” Sorrell and Bell said. “We’re working alongside another discovery which is focused on the information needs of people looking for adult social care.”
Later Life Support
Supporting older homeowners to downsize is key to the UK housing crisis
With housebuilding rates falling short of demand and the need for homes soaring, the UK must focus on making better use of existing housing stock and that means helping homeowners to right-size in later life. https://ifamagazine.com/supporting-older-homeowners-to-downsize-is-key-to-the-uk-housing-crisis/
The key lies in making the process simpler and more accessible. According to a new research report from the Open Property Data Association (OPDA), older homeowners are ready for change and they’re looking for digital processes that make moving simpler and less stressful.
OPDA’s research found a significant number of later life homeowners are downsizing. More than a third (34%) of those aged 65 – 74 who bought a home in the last five years chose to downsize and that figure rises to almost half (47%) of those aged 75+. However, more than half (55%) of those aged 65-74 cite long transaction times as the biggest barrier to moving. Again, that rises to 68% of those aged 75+.
“There is a clear desire among older homeowners to move, but the current system feels too slow and expensive to make it a viable option,” said Maria Harris, Chair of OPDA. “In addition to the Government’s ambition to build, we need to get smarter about using what we’ve got and that starts by removing barriers to moving.”
While much of the housing policy debate centres around government targets for new homes, the Spring Statement revealed completions are falling short of targets. With over-65s living in some of the most under-occupied homes in the country, encouraging and supporting this group to move to smaller properties could free up thousands of family homes.
Healthy life expectancy gap drives need for later life finance options
The growing gap between healthy life expectancy and life expectancy highlights the need for increased later life finance options, Key Later Life Finance, the UK’s leading equity release adviser, says. https://ifamagazine.com/healthy-life-expentancy-gap-drives-need-for-later-life-finance-options/
Analysis of data from the International Longevity Centre (ILC) shows the gap between healthy life expectancy and life expectancy has extended to 11.7 years potentially increasing costs for people in later life.
Most recent data show average life expectancy has increased to 82.2 years from 81.7 year while healthy life expectancy has only grown to 70.5 years from 70.1 years. As people live longer with health conditions many may need extra support which will need to be privately funded.
However, at the same time ILC figures shows average employment spans have dropped over that period to 31.1 years from 31.6 years limiting people’s ability to save for their retirement and ensure they have a sustainable income that can support them through all the challenges that later life may bring.
Key’s own data shows more than 10 million over-65s own their properties outright without a mortgage and have up to £2.944 trillion in property equity.
It believes this substantial property wealth could be put to use supporting older people with boosting their retirement lifestyle and providing a safety net when they face unexpected financial shocks such as those caused by ill-health. Government data shows average pensioner incomes in retirement are currently £20,120 rising to £29,170 for couples.
Care delivered in the home can cost around £25 an hour, so quickly eating into income, but can often be an effective way of maintaining independence and quality of life whilst still providing older people with the support they require. In contrast, moving into a residential care home can cost as much as £1,400 a week.
Will Hale, CEO Key Advice, said: “People in later life can have complex and expensive financial needs and the impact of ill-health can make a major difference.
It is very welcome that people are living longer but healthy life expectancy needs to be considered as part of financial planning. Later life lending options are available, but more people need to be aware of them, and it is the responsibility of all advisers to take property wealth into consideration.
Lifetime mortgages enable money to be drawn down tax free which can be a sensible way for over-65s to fund retirement needs. However, everyone’s circumstances are different, and it is important that these products, which do have some downside risks, are accompanied by specialist advice.”
Vulnerability
Consumer Duty: Wealth managers must do more to protect vulnerable customers
The Vulnerability Review undertaken by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has given the industry much-needed insight into how firms are applying Consumer Duty outcomes. While there is some real progression, it feels like this isn’t the majority and there are still areas of challenge. https://adv.portfolio-adviser.com/consumer-duty-wealth-managers-must-do-more-to-protect-vulnerable-customers/
Some wealth firms showed good examples of efforts taken, such as in-house training to improve identification and disclosure, and improving communications through continuous learning. But many struggled to evidence the embedding of vulnerable customers into the design process of products and services, or effective monitoring of good outcomes.
For firms to successfully do these things requires an analysis and understanding of their target market or customer base, and this is where they are falling short. Simplify Consulting has explored the difficulties in identifying vulnerability where vulnerable circumstances are less apparent, and this is another reason why analysis is vital
Caring responsibilities among most common customer vulnerabilities, MorganAsh data reveals
New vulnerable customer data from the MorganAsh Resilience System (MARS) has revealed that caring responsibilities are one of the most common life events experienced by consumers. https://ifamagazine.com/caring-responsibilities-among-most-common-customer-vulnerabilities-morganash-data-reveals/
Support services provider MorganAsh analysed data from multiple companies across financial services sectors, including credit, debt, mortgage and financial advice, insurance and building societies. It found that the most frequently reported life events among vulnerable customers are bereavement, divorce/separation, and caring responsibilities – including those for elderly parents and for children.
Around 9% of females and 7% of males have highlighted the challenges of caring responsibilities, mirroring reported national statistics for the provision of care. In its State of Caring report, Carers UK estimates that as many as one in five in the UK are providing care. It also highlights not just the financial implications of being a carer, but the poorer health outcomes experienced by a high proportion of carers.
The findings from MorganAsh come as the latest FCA Financial Lives survey reveals that 49% of adults are dealing with one or more characteristic of vulnerability. The same survey found that around one in ten adults (4.8m) are in poor health, with 58% of this group experiencing difficulty when interacting with providers or managing their finances.
The MARS data also found that the most common health-related vulnerabilities include alcohol dependency, diabetes, learning difficulties, mobility issues, and hearing impairments – with expected increases in prevalence among older age groups.
Andrew Gething, managing director of MorganAsh, said: “When considering how to manage customer vulnerability, conversation often focuses on visible conditions such as blindless, financial distress or consumer understanding. Life events such as divorce or separation and bereavement were always likely to be at the top, but we did not expect to find carer issues and potential financial coercion so high.
“With clear challenges around financial resilience and poor health – particularly for unpaid carers – we need to be building a complete picture around all our clients to have the best chance of mitigating the difficulties they face and understanding the outcomes for key groups, such as carers. We cannot do this with robust data, which requires consistent assessment and the right processes and technology.”
Johnny Timpson OBE, an advocate for UK carers and chairman of MorganAsh, adds: “The DWP has many questions to answer when you consider the appalling scandal surrounding carers allowance. Not only are more people losing this important financial lifeline, many are falling into negative budgets, as a broken system relies on overworked and overstretched carers to self-report when they have overclaimed. In short, carers are under immense pressure and it’s absolutely critical that financial services steps up where Government continues to fall short.
Why firms need to ensure they fully support all vulnerable clients
The Financial Conduct Authority’s 2025 review of delivering good outcomes for those in vulnerable circumstances highlights that while some firms have made effective changes over recent years, there is room for improvement for the majority.
The FCA particularly emphasises the need for firms to identify vulnerable customers, monitor outcomes, provide support, use appropriate communication channels and communicate clearly, ensuring clients’ needs are considered within the design of products and services. https://www.ftadviser.com/vulnerable-clients/2025/6/17/why-firms-need-to-ensure-they-fully-support-all-vulnerable-clients/
Vulnerability refers to a client’s susceptibility to experience harm due to their personal circumstances, especially if a business is not acting with appropriate levels of care.
Those in vulnerable circumstances have a greater likelihood of experiencing a state of distress in which they are unable to maintain their standard of living.
Anyone, regardless of wealth or income, can be at risk of being in vulnerable circumstances. The severity can differ from individual to individual, but this risk is increased by having characteristics of vulnerability which relate to the following four drivers: health, life events, resilience and capability.
Under FCA guidance, firms should ensure staff have the skills and capabilities to recognise and respond to a range of client vulnerability characteristics. Advisers should set up systems and processes in a way to support and enable customers in vulnerable circumstances to disclose their needs, allowing firms to record and retrieve relevant information.
The use of technology and AI to record this information without the need for face-to-face disclosure, may be beneficial for many.
The majority of vulnerability characteristics can be captured through an online questionnaire, but it is also important to have offline options available for those who lack digital skills or who may find the process overwhelming.
Nevertheless, it has been reported to be easier for vulnerable clients to use online communication tools which allow them to disclose information at their own pace without needing to communicate on the phone or face-to-face.
Using technology for collecting vulnerability data and ensuring clients are regularly reassessed, particularly before any changes are made to a customer’s financial position, is vital from a compliance perspective.
Nevertheless, for most advisers, and indeed the wider industry, assessing vulnerability characteristics is still a confusing area. It is therefore imperative firms put the correct governance in place to provide training and guidance to their employees, helping them recognise the four drivers and ensure they are taking vulnerabilities into account when interacting with their clients.
CII proposes sharing vulnerability data to meet FCA requirements
The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) wants to share vulnerability data across the insurance and personal finance industry to meet the Financial Conduct Authority’s requirements. https://www.ftadviser.com/vulnerable-clients/2025/6/25/cii-proposes-sharing-vulnerability-data-to-meet-fca-requirements/
In a new report summarising a recent roundtable held in May, the CII called for a shift from compliance-focused approaches to outcome-driven data sharing.
The professional body said it recognised the need for ‘common standards and an ecosystem that promotes sharing data to create customer value’.
In its ‘Managing Vulnerability in Insurance Roundtable Summary Report’ published in April, the CII identified a gap between the work currently being done on vulnerability within the sector, and tangible benefits to customers who are experiencing vulnerability.
Data sharing was raised as a key component in bridging this gap, and explored further at the roundtable, which consisted of participants from Allianz, Association of Financial Mutuals, AXA, Claims Guardians, MorganAsh, FWD, and RSA Group, among others.
Under the proposed model, customers would grant permission once for their vulnerability information to be shared appropriately, with firms receiving only the specific adjustments needed to provide tailored support, rather than characteristics of vulnerability.