Thread by @RichardnotatKF

With the dust settling on Monday’s #socialcare announcements & time to reflect, here’s a thread with some further personal conclusions:

1. That the State places a cap on individual liabilities for care costs is a worthy principle which subsequent govts could improve (e.g. free care = a zero-cap); I question whether it should be the 1st priority now (see 3 below).

2. The cap proposals will help few people initially & takes us back to where we would have been in 2016 had the Cameron govt not cancelled the original reforms (legislated for & funding agreed by Treasury). Not so much a bold step forward but the reinstatement of 5 lost years.

3. There is no new money to deal with waiting times backlog, unmet needs, rising costs & better pay etc for care staff; as evidence from @1adass & @ukhca shows; with mandatory vax for care home staff on the way, the workforce crisis is deepening & still no workforce strategy.

4. These pressures must await the spending review - prospects for #localgov settlement are not good (see @TheIFS ). Meanwhile govt pays lip service to integration but treats the financial needs of NHS & #socialcare totally differently. A failure of policy-making – & hypocritical.

5. An aside - the new health & care levy, as well as being regressive, will be the 7th funding stream for local #socialcare budgets (the others: council tax; precept; business rates: NHS funding; government grant; user charges).

6. This is not a sensible way of funding an essential public service, adds to the complexity of the budget process & makes it impossible for citizens to understand who is accountable for local spending & outcomes. Reform should simplify, not complicate.

6. This is not a sensible way of funding an essential public service, adds to the complexity of the budget process & makes it impossible for citizens to understand who is accountable for local spending & outcomes.

7. We are no clearer this week what are the government’s ambitions for #socialcare other than the protection of private assets. The can has been kicked down the road again with the promise of yet another White Paper (to add to the collection).

8. The promised long term plan remains elusive. This week's proposals won't 'fix' social care. No wonder so many involved in social care are so deeply disappointed. As a seasoned observer of all things #socialcare I’d give it 3/10. (ends)