Latest Government figures show reduced delayed discharges across the social care system over one-year period

Vulnerable people across England received almost 13 million extra hours of home visits from social care workers last year, new statistics from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government show.

This is due to the UK Government’s £674 million Improved Better Care Fund (iBCF), which works to connect the NHS and local council care services so people can manage their own health and wellbeing and live independently in their communities for as long as possible.

The iBCF also helps reduce delayed discharges across the social care system.

As well as increasing the number of home care hours, the funding provided in 2018 to 2019 also helped to support the social care market by enabling councils to increase the fees paid to social care providers by more than four percent.

This additional funding forms part of an additional £2 billion for councils to deliver adult social care from 2017 to 2020, announced at Spring Budget 2017.

Minister for Care Caroline Dinenage MP said: “We are determined to ensure people are able to access good quality, compassionate care by better joining up councils and health services.

“The Improved Better Care Fund has had a huge impact on local communities ensuring more of our most vulnerable in society are getting the help and support they need to stay living at home for longer and ensuring the local care market stays sustainable.”

Health and Wellbeing Boards, which coordinate the provision of social care in 150 areas in England, reported progress from money spent to meet adult social care needs, reducing pressure on the NHS, and support the social care market.

The Boards have reported that this year’s funding has:

• paid for almost 75,000 extra home care packages (providing almost 13 million additional hours of home care)
• paid for over 15,500 additional care home placements
• enabled councils to increase fees paid to social care providers for home care, residential care and nursing care in 90 percent of Health and Wellbeing Board areas, resulting in home care fee rates increasing by 4.7 percent, residential by four percent and nursing home fee rates by 4.1 percent compared to 2017 to 2018
• helped to reduce pressures on the NHS by tackling delayed transfers of care through supporting more people to be discharged from hospital when they are ready, with 122 projects last year

As announced at the Spending Round, next year, local government will have access to an additional £1 billion grant for adults and children’s social care, on top of existing social care funding (which includes the iBCF). This government is also consulting on a two percent precept which would give councils access to a further £500 million for adult social care next year.