Adult Social Care
Councils have been urged to set sustainable fee rates to stabilise the adult social care workforce and prepare for upcoming employment reforms, including fair pay agreements. This follows new Department of Health and Social Care guidance aimed at improving workforce capacity and care quality.
https://chmonline.co.uk/care-commissioning/
Lancashire County Council has reversed proposals to close several care homes following public pressure, highlighting ongoing tensions around funding, service capacity and local authority decision-making.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jan/22/reform-councillors-say-they-will-not-close-lancashire-care-homes
The Care Provider Alliance published new local authority priorities and confirmed that additional adult social care funding and reforms remain critical to stabilising the sector.
https://lcasforum.org/news-from-the-care-provider-alliance-january-2026/
Later Life Support
- Research shows that unpaid carers in the so-called ‘sandwich generation’ are losing an average of £6,000 per year due to reduced working hours and hidden caregiving costs, with significant long-term consequences for pensions and financial wellbeing.
https://moneyweek.com/personal-finance/unpaid-carer-loss-of-income - Rising living costs, including food and energy price inflation, continue to place additional financial strain on older people and those supporting relatives.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/27/national-insurance-hike-and-energy-bills-behind-food-price-rise-say-uk-retailers
Consumer Duty & Vulnerability
Financial services firms have been warned not to neglect customer vulnerability requirements when implementing the FCA’s new targeted support framework, with near-final rules now published ahead of the April 2026 go-live.
https://www.financialreporter.co.uk/firms-urged-not-to-neglect-customer-vulnerability-when-offering-targeted-support.html
New FCA proposals extend Consumer Duty protections to cryptoasset markets, reinforcing expectations around consumer outcomes, governance, and safeguarding.
https://www.pwc.co.uk/industries/financial-services/understanding-regulatory-developments/fca-proposes-consumer-protection-for-cryptoassets.html