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Social Care

Volume 718: debated on Monday 29 March 2010

Statement

My honourable friend the Minister of State, Department of Health (Phil Hope) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.

The department has today issued a local authority circular detailing the funding allocations for the Social Care Reform Grant.

This is the final year of the £520 million Social Care Reform Grant which is ring-fenced to be used by local authorities to assist them with their partners in delivering the transformation of adult social care, as set out in Putting People First: A Shared Vision and Commitment to the Transformation of Adult Social Care.

In the first two years of the Social Care Reform Grant, significant progress has been made to deliver this transformation but this circular details what councils will need to do in the final year of funding.

In September 2009 the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the Local Government Association with the Department of Health agreed a set of milestones focusing on five areas of priority to help councils be clear about what good progress implementing Putting People First looks like and to prioritise their use of the final year of the reform grant. These priorities are:

effective partnerships with people using services, carers and other local citizens;

ensuring everyone has self-directed support and a personal budget;

ensuring universal access to information and advice;

commissioning a range of services to ensure people have choice; and

delivering services in a cost effective and efficient manner to use the available resources well.

The final year of revenue money (£237 million) has been ring-fenced by the department, so that it should be used for supporting the process of transformation. In addition, non ring-fenced capital moneys have also been allocated this year. This includes:

£30 million allocated to local authorities as a capital investment grant, to support delivering personal budgets and transformation in adult social care; and

an allocation of £20,000 to each council with adult social service responsibilities to develop innovative strategies and approaches to extra care housing.

This year’s funding should enable local authorities to deliver the transformation envisaged in Putting People First.