Adult social care and COVID-19: Assessing the policy response in England so far

Our analysis of the national government policy response during the first phase of the pandemic

Adult social care and COVID-19. Assessing the policy response in England so far reviews national government policies on adult social care in England during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic – from January to the end of May 2020.

In this briefing, we provide a detailed description and timeline of the government’s social care response. We consider the role that social care has played in the overall policy narrative. We also identify the underlying factors within the social care system, such as its structure and funding, that have shaped its ability to respond. We argue that central government support for social care came too late and that policy action on social care has been focused primarily on care homes and risks leaving out other vulnerable groups and services. Longstanding issues within the system – including underfunding, workforce shortages, system fragmentation, and lack of quality data – have shaped the ability of the sector to respond.

We identify several priorities to help prepare for potential future waves of the virus. Short-term actions should include greater involvement of social care in planning and decision making, improved access to regular testing and PPE, and a commitment to cover the costs of local government’s COVID-19 response. More fundamental reform of social care is needed to address the longstanding policy failures exacerbated by COVID-19. This reform must be comprehensive, including action to improve pay and conditions for staff, stabilise the care provider market, increase access to publicly funded services, and provide greater protection for people against social care costs.