This consultation, Caring for our future: shared ambitions for care and support, is intended to gather responses to the recommendations of the Commission on the Funding of Care and Support and of the Law Commission’s recent report on social care. It introduces a number of topics which the Government believes should be priority areas for reform and invites views on the way forward. Summaries of the issues on the Department of Health website give some indication of government thinking and are likely to be of great interest to local government.

Councils will wish to respond to the consultation as they see fit and may also wish to facilitate public discussion and local responses. The consultation will end on 2 December. The Government has made a commitment to producing a White Paper in April 2012. Responses to the consultation can be made online at:www.caringforourfuture.dh.gov.uk