Government commits extra funding for adult social care in January

The government is providing an additional £60m to local authorities to support the adult social care response to Covid-19 this month.

The Adult Social Care – Omicron Support Fund comes as Omicron cases increase rapidly across the country, building on the £388m infection control and testing fund announced last year to prevent infections and spread in the care sector.

Local authorities can use the funding to support the social care sector and protect people from Covid-19 infection, including investing in improved ventilation, increasing the use of direct payments which are offered to people with eligible social care needs so they have choice and control over their care arrangements, or paying for Covid-19 sickness and self-isolation pay for staff.

Minister for Care Gillian Keegan said: ‘Protecting care staff and people who use social care services continues to be a priority, especially as cases surge and Omicron spreads rapidly around the country.

‘Today’s extra funding will ensure that we continue to support adult social care to keep people safe and prevent outbreaks. A huge thank you goes out to care workers for all they are doing to care for people and keep themselves and others safe this winter.

‘I urge anyone who has yet to get a booster to come forward – vaccines are our best defence against this virus so Get Boosted Now.’

Care providers welcomed the funding but wished it had come sooner. Chair of the Independent Care Group (ICG), Mike Padgham, said: ‘We welcome the £60m the Government is providing to local authorities to support social care – it is absolutely vital. Our only dismay is that the Government did not act at the end of the summer, when we warned of an impending staff crisis, and not now that we are in it.

‘This money will take time to filter through to the front line and in the meantime care providers are struggling to fill their staff shifts today, tomorrow and next week.’

Photo by Mufid Majnun