Social care cap architect astonished over ‘really distressing’ reform delay

The architect of the original plans for a social care cap has said he is ‘astonished’ over the ‘really distressing and deeply regrettable’ decision to postpone long-awaited reforms.Sir Andrew Dilnot told the PA news agency the delay ‘seems like a breach of promise for some of the most vulnerable people in our society’.To let this group down now ‘feels like a really, really distressing and deeply regrettable act’, while hundreds of thousands of people working in the NHS and social care will also be affected, he said.On Thursday, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirmed that reforms promised by Boris Johnson’s government will be delayed for two years, while also announcing billions of funding to help deliver more care packages. And really, it’s hard to think of a group that is more vulnerable and more deserving of compassion than people with significant social care needsHe praised the ‘heroic’ work of the sector looking after children, and older and disabled people during the coronavirus pandemic.But he said an ageing population is heaping massive pressure on services, and he has heard ‘very real concerns’ from councils about their ability to deliver the reforms.These include an £86,000 cap on personal care cost contributions, and an expanded means test that is more generous than the existing one, which had been due to come into effect from October 2023.Mr Dilnot said he is ‘deeply disappointed, I’m puzzled and I’m astonished’, pointing out the hundreds of thousands of families have been banking on the changes coming through next year.He told PA: ‘And we’ve heard a lot today about protecting the most vulnerable and about compassion as a British value.’And really, it’s hard to think of a group that is more vulnerable and more deserving of compassion than people with significant social care needs.’And by not going through with these reforms, we’re leaving people and their families who are facing that absolutely on their own until they’re down to their last £23,250.’He added: ‘The Government promised in September of last year, to one of the most vulnerable groups in our whole country, that it would do this, and to let them down now feels like a really, really distressing and deeply regrettable act.’ Today’s decision will allow the social care system to deliver an estimated 200,000 more care packages over the next two yearsIn his budget, Mr Hunt said he is allocating social care additional grant funding of £1 billion next year, and £1.7 billion the year after, noting that he wants the sector to help free up some of the thousands of hospital beds being occupied by people who should be at home.This, combined with savings from the delayed reforms, and ‘more council tax flexibilities’, will mean increases in available funding of up to £2.8 billion next year and £4.7 billion the following year, he said.He continued: ‘But how we look after our most vulnerable citizens is not just a practical issue, it speaks to our values as a society.’So today’s decision will allow the social care system to deliver an estimated 200,000 more care packages over the next two years – the biggest increase in funding under any Government, of any colour, in history.’