The Dilnot Report

This proposed reform of adult social care, to include support individuals should receive to help pay for care and what people should contribute towards care needed.

The coalition government agreed in principle but made some changes which were due to be implemented in 2016.  However, this was eventually kicked into the long grass.  It was postponed to 2020 and then indefinitely.

In September 2021, the government published ‘Build back better: Our plan for health and social care’.  The plan was said to be to reform adult social care, including creation of a new integrated system between health and social care.  There was a proposal for a cap on personal care costs, but this would not cover the cost of ‘bed and board’.  Tax increases, by way of a national insurance levy was intended to be implemented in 2023, but once again this was delayed and then cancelled.  A cap on the costs of care was suspended in 2023 until October 2025.  There has since been a change of government and the cap has been scrapped.

The Labour government announced in January 2025 that a planned overhaul of social care would be delayed until 2028.  The Times newspaper reported on 3^rd January 2025 that Labour’s timetable is as follows:

• Crossbench peer’s two-part review of social care to begin in April
• First phase to focus on ‘medium-term’ issues and report back in mid-2026
• Second phase, regarding long-term problems, will not report until 2028
• Government has already scrapped plans for lifetime cap of £86,000 on care costs

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