Title

FINANCE

Budget 2021: social care 'left out in cold'

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing accusations he has left social care ‘out in the cold’ following his Autumn Budget speech.

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak is facing accusations he has left social care ‘out in the cold' following his Autumn Budget speech.

Mr Sunak failed to mention care services in the Commons set-piece, drawing criticism from the sector.

Care England chief executive Professor Martin Green said social care had been ‘left out in the cold'.

He added: ‘Winter is going to be very tough without robust social care sector to support the NHS.

‘Failure to support adult social care will result in unprecedented demand.'

The Treasury has confirmed as part of the Spending Review that councils with care responsibilities will continue to have the option of charging an adult social care precept of up to 1% per year on top of council tax, without holding a referendum.

The Government is relying heavily on the previously-announced Health and Social Care Levy to provide £5.4bn ‘to reform adult social care'.

Of the total, £3.6bn will be allocated to the cap on personal care costs and associated means test, in addition to ‘moving towards a fairer cost of care' in local markets.

Another £1.7bn is intended to ‘improve the wider social care system' including integration, and £500m to invest in care workforce skills, qualifications and wellbeing.

The Spending Review also commits to maintaining the Public Health Grant in real terms.

Chairman of the Local Government Association, Cllr James Jamieson, said: 'It is disappointing that the chancellor has not provided additional funding to address existing pressures on adult social care services and not increased public health funding.

'We remain concerned that the money allocated to social care from the Health and Care Levy will be insufficient to fund reforms. The potential rise in local government core spending power over the next three years will also be dependent on councils increasing council tax by 3% per annum.'

NHS England will benefit from a £5.9bn fund to reduce backlogs, including £2.3bn to set-up clinics in shopping centres, £1.5bn for surgical hubs and beds, and £2.1bn for IT.

In addition, its day-to-day budget is set to grow by 3.8% over the course of the Spending Review period.

FINANCE

Making care everyone's business

By Jess McGregor | 17 July 2026

Reform of adult social care will only succeed if it is built through a stronger public understanding of care as something that touches families, communities ...

FINANCE

The problem with housing: Viability

By Heather Jameson | 17 July 2026

Uncertainty, viability and devolution: local authorities face a collection of hurdles and opportunities when it comes to delivering much-needed housing. The ...

FINANCE

LGA warns councils 'sidelined' by social care Fair Pay Agreement

By Martin Ford | 16 July 2026

Councils are to be ‘sidelined’ by a negotiating body representing care workers, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

FINANCE

The key to LGR success

By Jo Walker | 16 July 2026

Gloucestershire CC is calling for a comprehensive review of local government funding, greater local decision-making and a stronger partnership with central g...

Martin Ford

Popular articles by Martin Ford