Would you pay more tax to increase spending on services including social care?
- No, taxes are too high already - the government needs to be more efficient. (31%, 878 Votes)
- Yes, we need more funding. (26%, 725 Votes)
- No, taxes should only rise on the wealthiest. (25%, 707 Votes)
- Yes, but I would only pay a social care-dedicated tax (18%, 490 Votes)
Total Voters: 2,800
Loading ...The new Labour government has scrapped a planned increase in funding for adult social care training.
It has culled the adult social care training and development fund announced by its Conservative predecessor earlier this year, care minister Stephen Kinnock revealed in a parliamentary statement today.
The fund would have provided £53.9m to put up to 37,000 care staff through the new level 2 care certificate, from June 2024 to March 2025.
The Conservatives were planning to supplement this with resource to support continuing professional development for regulated professionals, such as occupational therapists, but had not confirmed a figure for this.
In his statement, Kinnock said the government would continue to develop the care workforce pathway – a new career structure for the workforce initiated by the Conservatives – while the level 2 care certificate would also remain. It would also continue to support Care Quality Commission-regulated providers to fulfil their statutory requirements to train their staff in learning disabilities and autism, known as Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.
Kinnock added that Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funding for adult social care training would return to 2023-24 levels, though it is unclear what this is. The main DHSC-funded training resource, the workforce development fund, has traditionally received about £11m a year from the department, though this was boosted in 2023-24 by the Conservatives.
Second cut to adult social care funding in consecutive days
Kinnock’s statement comes a day after chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement that Labour would scrap the planned cap on care costs and associated adult social care charging reform, saving £1.1bn by the end of 2025-26.
This is designed fill a black hole in the public finances she said had been left by the Tory government – a claim vigorously rejected by former chancellor Jeremy Hunt.
Kinnock used a similar argument to Reeves in his statement.
“This government is being honest about the appalling economic circumstances we inherited, and takes seriously its responsibility to help manage down overall fiscal pressures in 2024-25. As a result, we have decided that the adult social care training and development fund proposed by the last government, decisions around which had been suspended since the announcement of the election, will not be continued.”
However, as with Reeves’s announcement, Kinnock’s met with significant criticism from the adult social care sector.
‘Desperately shortsighted’
“Taking away limited funding that had been set aside for upskilling and training much needed social care staff looks desperately shortsighted and is a significant blow for the sector,” said Natasha Curry, director of policy at think-tank the Nuffield Trust.
“We urgently need to invest in staff to reinforce the skills required to build a strong and sustainable workforce that can meet growing and changing need in our society. Having aspirations to implement a care career pathway and encourage uptake of a new care qualification will remain mere aspirations unless dedicated investment underpins them.”
The decision was also criticised by the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), which represents charitable providers of care to disabled people.
“We need investment in funding to directly enhance pay and to continue to develop the workforce to improve quality and outcomes for people who use care and support services,” said VODG chief executive Rhidian Hughes.
“This latest decision to cull the adult social care training and development fund, risks coming back to bite given the scale of the workforce challenges facing the country,” he added.
The charity Sense, which runs care homes and supported living services, described the decision as “deeply disappointing”.
“Social care is stuck in a perfect storm of a funding and staffing crisis due to years of under-investment, making it hard for providers to prioritise training,” said its policy adviser, Evan John. “Yet training can be an essential part of keeping the right people in care and providing them with the skills to give disabled people the best life possible.”
Social care workforce strategy
The decision also follows the launch earlier this month of a 15-year workforce strategy for the sector, developed by Skills for Care, which called for a significant expansion in the provision of training to care staff.
It specifically said that the DHSC should continue to roll out the care certificate qualification to support new starters to achieve a level 2 qualification (equivalent to a good GCSE), with the aim of 80% of new direct care staff holding the qualification within five years (2029).
As of March 2023, just 42% of care workers held a level 2 qualification.
Skills for Care ‘disappointed’
Skills for Care welcomed the government’s ongoing commitment to the care certificate, the care workforce pathway and learning disability and autism training.
However, it’s chief executive, Oonagh Smyth said: “While we understand the financial pressures the Government is facing, we were disappointed to hear the announcement about the adult social care training and development fund.
“We’ve offered to support the government in any way we can to ensure the sector can access the promised continuing funding as quickly as possible. Being able to access quality learning and development is vital for ensuring the people working in social care have the skills to provide the best possible care and support – and we also know from our data that it encourages people to stay in their jobs and the sector.”
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Vote Labour, see more cuts to social care. Never thought I’d say that.
This is a slap in the face for millions who rely on social care to live in their communities!!! It also send out a clear message of the little regard government has for social care and a lack of understanding of its importance to a functioning society.
It’s shocking that a Labour government can not recognise a workforce that suffered a lot more during the Covid Pandameic then any other organisation.
These carers are forgotten by this labour government and yet again those without a voice suffer the most,
Real investment, real change, better working conditions and fair pay, better then what a supermarket can pay is the only way forward.
We need to train, and retain our care staff with real aspparations, not cheap gimmicks the level 2 has been around for over 30 years it has not worked.
I have worked in Social Care forums over 30 years and nothing has changed for our older population, cuts to homecare, home helps, cottage hospital closures, we all said this would lead to the collapse we now see in older care.
I completely agree. As a Psychiatric trained nurse from the 1980’s and Thatchers Community Care Act saw the the transference to Community Homes. The proliferation of private sector, pharmaceutical,G.P. contracts,Regulatory bodies, MHRA,Meds management and governing bodies have collectively enabled to happen. I do not think it is any coincidence Ministers have aligned themselves to many Pharma/health care. The former Conservative Governments corruption has been plain to see. Driven by £ and systematically haemorrhaging the services at the expense of those working and receiving care. Probably not many left who have worked through the system to know what the consequences of those actions were. It has frustrated me for over thirty years. But who really listens. Go round in circles, been there done that.
Well put Annette. As a CQSW Social Worker who recalls the pre Thatcher privatisation of care homes , when local authorities were responsible for Care Homes and the Home Help Services, there was regular and monitored training of (usually retained) staff.
All changed with the so-called Community Care Act. Enter people having to sell their homes to pay for basic care – mostly unregulated due to Thatcher’s introduction of the Care Quality Commission, taking over the inspection from Social Services Thirty two years later, it’s just been agreed what Social workers said then, that the CQQ is not fit for purpose!. Enter so-called Bed blocking, as private care homes ‘Cherry pick’ those residents who will be the cheapest to provide for. Vulnerability vs Profit…..
We did not vote so the no good government could treat the pensioners bad. Bye taking a way there winter fuel payment. Nore to gut the care fund it makes me SICK to see this government think they can get voted. In only to av them go back on there pledges to the pubic if we won’t to be treated this way we should stayed with the bloody Tories it. Is always the old and the disabled adults and disabled children that as to suffer at the hands of the stupid government why don’t you try to live on wot you say we can live on for a week and try to get gas and electric and eat only one meal a day they are not bothered because you get loads of money to live on fancy cars and 3 meals A day post this hi av the wright to say wot hi feel thanks
Please can you confirm where was this sourced? I can’t find anything from the Labour government relating to this online and no link in your article.
Hi Caroline,
Thanks for that.
The source is a ministerial statement to Parliament given by Stephen Kinnock on 30 July.
It’s linked to in the article (in the second paragraph) but here it is: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-07-30/hcws50
Thanks,
Mithran
I am not surprised by this, as it was exactly what I expected as statutory social work and care work is not valued by either the Tories or Labour. Nowhere in their pledges did they talk about increasing funding or wages for social workers. Kier Starmer is a hard leftist socialist, who was a human rights lawyer, so he is commited to having everybody on the breadline, whilst he lives in wealthy Camden, and bringing in more refugees, so there will be more pressure on public services and more cuts. Media did a great job in smearing another party to look as racist, when they wanted to put Brits and this country first.
This says ‘cuts to social care’ but if I am not mistaken, neither of these policies were actually in place? Or funded?
So they’re not really cuts are they, rather a scrapping of Tory proposals and promises (which would have failed to materialise anyway).
Labour are taking over quite a mess and a fair few silly proposals from the Tory’s and I am not surprised they are having to renege on some. At least they’re up front about it rather than just lying like Boris would have.
Not true Anna. Did Labour even mention either Adult or Children’s Social Care in their budget? No, as to them we don’t exist or even matter. The NHS, Police, and even Teachers were told they would see increases in their numbers, but no mention of Social or Care Work by Labour. Why? The wealthy ruling elites of Labour and Tories (who are actually liberals and not conservatives if we want to talk straight here) don’t give a damn about Social Worker’s as they are wealthy, don’t need to use the services, but will probably need a Teacher, Police, or the NHS (if they don’t want to go private) somewhere down the line. As somebody who was born in the UK from a minority immigrant hardworking family, this just sucks, as we got into social (and care) work to help people, yet we are lowly paid, not recognised, and there is no overtime system for us, unlike the NHS and Police who are given overtime. It always the hardworking caring professionals who nobody cares about. Kier Starmer should be ashamed of himself – he wants to tax everybody else, but not Politicians who are paid generously, and also have a very well paid pension for life.
Adult social care, especially for the elderly and many with mental health issues seems to be ignored by all Governments. My son at 57 has been treated badly by social services due to the social worker not being trained properly. The social service network seems to be underfunded and lacking in fully trained personnel. As an elderly disabled person I am appalled at the lack of care offered. The system needs overhauling and treated as a necessary functional department.
Really sad, upset and shocked at what Labour are doing on a number of things since coming into power. Social Care is lacking, especially Adult Social Care. I won’t be surprised if there are deaths leading from this.
I myself have lifelong medical condition/disability. I don’t require intense help, but do require some support or point of contact, especially as I live alone and I have no family or support network. I am at times vulnerable. When I have asked for help it has been practically non existent or I am told my issues are not severe enough. At times I feel insulted. I have worked most of my life, have paid my taxes andmy Council Tax.
Labour already seem to be letting ‘Us’ down on a lot of things.
Surprised No
Shocked No
undervalued – normal state of affairs
Angry that nobody gives a damn – very much so.
Yet another broken promise. Labour is not for the working population
When stating –
‘It would also continue to support Care Quality Commission-regulated providers to fulfil their statutory requirements to train their staff in learning disabilities and autism, known as Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.’
Does this mean the government are looking to fund social care settings in the Oliver McGowan Tier 2 training?