In July 2015, the Government announced that it would delay reforms of social care funding from April 2016 to April 2020.
In response, the House of Commons Library have published a February 2018 briefing paper outlining the postponement of these reforms.
This paper finds:
- The Government cited the expected £6 billion cost of the policy (over five years) at “a time of consolidation” as the reason for the delay, and noted the “genuine concerns raised by stakeholders” about the introduction of the changes
- The Government has stated that it will publish a Green Paper on social care for older people by the 2018 parliamentary summer recess (which starts on 25 July), and undertake a parallel programme of work in regard to social care for working age adults
- In December 2017, the revised date of April 2020 for the introduction of the cap was dropped and no new date was announced. The Government told the House that this postponement was necessary “to allow for fuller engagement and the development of the approach, and so that reforms to the care system and how it is paid for are considered in the round”.
