Trade association Care England has published its key asks for social care reform ahead of government publication of a forthcoming white paper.
In its How to Build Back Better document, Care England sets out ten proposals that relate to establishing a fair rate for care, ensuring a sustainable workforce and national insurance (NI) contributions.
Social care providers and employees, it estimates, will need to pay an additional £600m per year in NI.
This is at odds with the NHS where employer contributions are being recompensed by government and, says Care England, puts financial sustainability of the social care sector “under further strain”.
"Adult social care and the NHS are two sides of the same coin and they need parity," it said.
Other asks include an adult social care workforce strategy that extends beyond three years and includes a basic pay framework for social care staff and national policy on how this should be funded.
“We are keen to work with government to find a long-term sustainable solution for the sector, but are concerned that the £5.4 billion announced in September for adult social care over the next three years though the Health and Social Care Levy, as well as the £4.8 billion of new grant funding over the Spending Review 21 period for social care and other services, will not be enough to achieve the ambitions set out by government,” said Care England chief executive Martin Green.
“We hope that our key asks will represent an opportunity for meaningful co-production, all of which must be underpinned by adequate funding for the proposals, wider support for the workforce and parity with the NHS on National Insurance that only national government can address,” he added.
