Understanding the parties 18th June 2024

What the parties are saying about social care

Here are summaries of some of the key social care pledges that have been made by the main parties, and that relate to funding and workforce.

You can also download an infographic of each.

Conservative Party

Deliver a ‘high quality and sustainable social care system’ through building on investment of up to £8.6bn over the last two years.

Local authorities will be supported by a multi-year funding settlement for social care at the next Spending Review, and reforms will be outlined in a People at the Heart of Care White Paper.

Modernise mental health legislation to give patients greater choice, autonomy, enhanced rights, and support, and to ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect throughout treatment (this is relevant to us and the people we support who might have been detained in ATUs simply because they are autistic).

Enhance partnership working across employers, trade unions and government and establish a Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care. This will set fair pay, terms and conditions and training standards.

Create a National Care Service underpinned by national standards, delivering a consistency of care across the country. Services will be locally delivered with a principle of ‘home first’ that supports people to live independently for as long as possible.

New standards will ensure high-quality care and ongoing sustainability, and ensure providers behave responsibly.

Increase care worker pay by £2 per hour (the assumption is that this means £2 per hour above the National Living Wage which is currently £11.44 per hour).

Establish a Royal College of Care Workers to improve recognition and career progression.

Establish a cross party commission to forge a long-term agreement on sustainable funding for social care.

End inappropriate and costly inpatient placements for people with learning disabilities and autism (NB – ‘autism’ is their word not mine – I always say ‘autistic people’).

Support vital overseas workers to join our care workforce safely and without the risk of exploitation.

Support people with disabilities to live full and meaningful lives through enhanced disability benefits and the ending of unfair targeting of disabled people and their carers who might be accessing benefits.

Pay social care workers at least £1 above the Real Living Wage to make the job more attractive and improve recruitment. This would ensure that a full-time worker was paid £1,800 more than the Real Living Wage.

Support the health and social care workforce in Wales, whatever their country of origin. Staff should be provided with the most appropriate support to allow them to integrate into Welsh society.

Support multiannual funding settlements for third sector organisations where this is possible and appropriate to allow these organisations to better plan their activities.

We support the reform of the Mental Health Act which is well overdue. We will push Welsh Government to make the necessary amendments to the Code of Practice in Wales.

Exempt two million front-line healthcare and social care workers from basic rate of income tax for three years to retain staff and recruit former staff.
Commence Royal Commission of Inquiry into Social Care System.
Stop the Offshore Taxpayer Rip Off for larger care home providers who are avoiding tax and pay minimal wages to care staff.
Raise National Insurance rate to 20% for foreign workers to encourage businesses to employ British citizens, except for essential foreign health and care workers and businesses who employ up to 5 staff members.