Latest News

The Independent: Dementia remains the UK's leading cause of death, a crisis only set to worsen with an aging population.

BBC News: Hospitals hit by 'tidal wave' of flu and winter illness.

The Carer: A petition to mandate wearable cameras for care home staff, thought to improve safety and prevent abuse, now has over 19,000 signatures. 

BBC News: Hundreds of hospice inpatient beds are currently closed or out of use in England due, primarily, to a lack of funding.

Local Government Association: LGA calls for 10-year plan for adult social care to match NHS strategy.

The Carer: There has been a substantial decrease in the number of Health and Care Worker visas granted in the UK over the past year, leading to fresh concerns over a social care workforce ‘crisis’.

The Independent: Employers who flout visa rules could face lengthy bars from hiring foreign workers, as part of a crackdown on abuse and exploitation.

Government Press Release: The provisional Local Government Finance Settlement will provide £69 billion to support councils and help deliver Plan for Change. £3.7 billion of funding will be made available to social care authorities to support adult and children’s services through the Settlement. This includes £880 million for the Social Care Grant, an increase of £200 million compared to what was indicated last month, taking its total to £5.9 billion, which will support councils to deliver care for adults and children in their communities, helping to reduce pressure on the NHS.  

The Carer: A new report by LaingBuisson highlights the precarious financial state of the care sector with providers serving the state-funded market most at risk.

The Carer: Social Care providers have reacted angrily to a “meaningless” Government response to a petition calling for the sector to be exempt from the increase in National Insurance many fear will damage care.

The Carer: NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is a valuable benefit because it is not means-tested and fully funds both health and social care outside hospital for adults where there is a ‘primary health need’. Research by retirement specialist, Just Group, found that 73% of over-45s had not heard of CHC and a further 15% who had heard of it, knew nothing about it.