It is clear that the pressures on social care funding are only going to increase. In May the King's Fund reported that by 2030/31 the sector will require an extra £12bn to meet demand, an average annual increase of 3.7%. Yet, spending over that period is currently projected to grow by just 2.1%, leaving a potential funding gap of £6bn by 2030/31.

The upcoming social care Green Paper needs to look at new approaches to funding and options to bridge that gap. It should also inspire innovation and the better use of technology to cut costs and to improve the quality of care.