Local government

The Care Act was a landmark moment for adult social care, embedding the principles of empowerment, prevention, proportionality, protection, partnership and accountability.

We see our role as district councils to convene our partners and the community to common goals, providing local solutions for local people. Our focus should turn to not just enabling people to survive, which has been the thrust of the Care Act to date, but to live and thrive.

The elephant in the room with regard to the Care Act is the continued postponement of the second part of the Act, addressing changes to the social care means test and a cap on lifetime social care costs.

With time of the essence, local government needs political parties ahead of the general election to clearly set out whether Part 2 of the Care Act is part of their vision, and crucially, if they do, how they will achieve it in practice.

Successive governments have acknowledged the need to tackle the issue but have failed to do so because the solution is likely to require additional taxation and is not seen to be a vote winner.

Change is possible. Change is essential. It may be 10 years’ old, but the Care Act is still our north star on our journey to achieve that change.