The Autumn Budget’s promise of a £600m grant for social care falls ‘drastically short’ in addressing the financial pressures in social care nursing, an industry leader has said.
Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, told Nursing in Practice that the £600m funding commitment announced by the chancellor on Wednesday showed ‘some recognition’ of the sector’s needs, but does not go far enough.
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Limited funding is pushing social care nursing roles and providers ‘to the brink’ and more money is needed to secure the future of the profession, he warned.
‘We urge the government to adopt a realistic, sustainable funding approach that secures the future of social care nursing and ensures safe, dignified care for those who depend on it,’ Professor Green said.
The Budget also saw a 6.7% increase in the National Living Wage, to £12.21 per hour from April 2025.
Employer national insurance contributions (NICs) are also set to rise from April 2025, increasing by 1.2% to 15%, and will need to be paid after the first £5,000 of each employers’ salary, rather than the £9,199 per year as it currently stands.
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Professor Green claimed these changes ‘created a £2bn funding shortfall’ in the sector and warned that ‘social care nurses are being asked to provide critical care without the resources or support they deserve as a result’.
In response, a government spokesperson said: ‘We know there is more to do to tackle the significant challenges facing social care, and we will work closely with the sector to build a National Care Service based on clear, consistent standards that will improve the quality of care across the country.
‘We have taken a critical step forward by introducing legislation that will establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals, and the chancellor announced at least £600 million of new social care grant funding, which is part of a wider package to bolster support for councils.’
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In September, the government said it will soon be reaching out to unions and staff about a fair pay agreement for care professionals, and in the run up to the general election, the Labour Party had pledged the introduction of a National Care Service.
Speaking at a Medical Journalists Association (MJA) event at in June, now health secretary Wes Streeting had also said social care should be ‘regarded as a profession’ and that those working within the sector must be ‘respected as professionals’.
