There is widespread recognition that the formal adult social care sector in England has faced multiple challenges over many years. The Government has set out proposals for a levy to raise funds for the sector alongside reforms to how people pay for adult social care in England. Further detail on the Government’s plans for sector reform are expected in a white paper due later this year.
The bill would provide for a new tax dedicated to helping fund the Government’s plans for health and social care, with proceeds ringfenced for this purpose. The tax would be collected from April 2022. The House of Commons has passed the bill and there are limitations on the powers of the House of Lords to amend or reject the measure. The House of Lords is scheduled to debate the bill at second reading and remaining stages on 11 October 2021.
The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 would make it a requirement for workers in care homes to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus. The Government has said this is important to protect vulnerable residents. The House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee has been critical of a lack of detail on the implementation of the policy. The Lords is due to debate the regulations on 20 July 2021.
In Focus
In March 2020, the House of Lords Public Services Committee set up an inquiry into the impact of Covid-19 on public services which reported in November 2020. Among its findings, the committee identified five weaknesses highlighted by the pandemic that should be addressed to make public services resilient enough to withstand future crises. The committee’s recommendations also aimed to ‘lock-in’ innovations developed during the pandemic to reform public services over the longer-term.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on social affairs with a selection of articles you may have missed. Articles this month look at universal basic income, and the deadline for the EU settlement scheme.
In Focus
The Elderly Social Care (Insurance) Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Lord Lilley (Conservative). The bill would establish a government-owned company to provide insurance against the risk of the policyholder needing elderly social care. The premium would be recouped via a charge on the person’s home at the time of their death or when the home was sold.
Research Briefing
On 24 June 2021, the House of Lords is due to debate a motion on social care provision and the role of carers. The term ‘social care’ can include all forms of personal and practical assistance for children, young people and adults who need extra support, including those who care for others. The policy area is a devolved matter and provision differs across the UK. This briefing provides an overview of the subject.
In Focus
Concerns have been raised about the impact on young people of many of the measures taken to control the spread of coronavirus. This article explores the potential impact on education, health and poverty levels, and what the Government are doing to mitigate these concerns. It has been prepared in advance of a House of Lords debate scheduled for 17 June 2021.
In Focus
Recent research by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has suggested that poverty can have a serious impact on a child’s life chances, and that this burden is felt disproportionately by those from certain ethnic groups. This article examines those findings, as well as recent campaigns to tackle the related issue of child food poverty.
In Focus
The Asian Youth Movements formed in the United Kingdom in the 1970s, as second generation South Asian people mobilised against racism. Following on from our articles on Black Lives Matter and the early UK Black Panther movement, we take a closer look at their membership, their aims and campaigns, and their legacy within the UK today.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on social affairs with a selection of articles you may have missed. Articles this month ask whether it is time for a new Beveridge report, and how best to make healthy food widely available.
In Focus
A recent report by the Commission on Alcohol Harm highlighted the damage caused by alcohol abuse. Setting out a number of recommendations, it called for the Government to publish a new comprehensive alcohol strategy. This article provides a brief overview of the report and the Government’s current policy on alcohol.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on social and home affairs with a selection of articles you may have missed. Articles this month include a look at poverty in the UK, and how public services use digital technology.
Current Affairs Digest
Catch up on social policy with a selection of articles you may have missed. Articles this month look at the impact of Covid-19 on young people in Britain, and the inclusion of questions on gender and sexuality in the upcoming UK census.
In Focus
On 28 January 2020, the House of Lords is due to debate the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee report Social Care Funding: Time to End a National Scandal, published in July 2019. The report argues that increased funding for the sector is urgently needed, alongside long-term reform.
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