Health Minister Stephen Kinnock has pledged that the Labour government is actively working to improve adult social care, despite a major review of the system not being due for completion until 2028. The minister announced an immediate cash injection for vital at-home support while a cross-party commission investigates long-term solutions.
Immediate Funding Boost for 'Lifeline' Home Adaptations
In a significant move, ministers are today announcing an additional £50 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) for the 2025-26 financial year. This funding is expected to help around 5,000 more people install crucial adaptations in their homes, such as stairlifts, ramps, and accessible bathrooms.
This brings the total funding for the DFG scheme to £761 million for the year. Mr Kinnock, who recently visited a couple in Brighton who benefited from the grant, described such home adaptations as a "lifeline" for families. He emphasised the government's commitment to enabling more disabled and elderly people to receive support to stay in their own homes, which in turn helps to relieve pressure on overstretched hospital services.
Navigating the Care Crisis Amid Commission Work
The funding announcement comes as the government's major Care Commission, led by Baroness Louise Casey, continues its work. The commission, launched in 2025 after Labour scrapped its election pledge for an £86,000 cap on lifetime care costs, has a deadline to conclude by 2028.
However, Stephen Kinnock offered a glimmer of hope, suggesting the review may conclude earlier than 2028. He stressed that the government is "not sitting on our hands" waiting for the commission's final report. "We've been putting fires out all over the place," he admitted, referencing the state of the health and care system inherited from the previous administration.
The minister openly acknowledged the severe financial strain many families face, with some still forced to sell homes to pay for care. He reiterated a desire for a cross-party consensus to prevent the "weaponisation" of social care funding during election cycles, a tactic he conceded his own party had been guilty of in the past.
Broader Investment and Future Reforms
Beyond the DFG boost, Mr Kinnock pointed to wider planned investment in the social care sector. This includes a £4.6 billion uplift for local authorities for adult social care by 2028-29. Within this sum is £500 million earmarked for the first-ever Fair Pay Agreement, aimed at boosting recruitment and retention in the care workforce.
While defending the pace of the Casey Commission's work, which has reportedly only met once since its inception in January 2025, the minister insisted evidence-gathering was ongoing across the country. The government's dual approach is clear: provide immediate, practical support through grants like the DFG while pursuing a fundamental, evidence-based reform of the entire system to create a sustainable future for adult social care in the UK.
