4th November 2026
“In the words of a commentator immediately after the Autumn Budget announcement, today’s budget came across as a ‘flotilla of small measures.’
“Yet from today’s budget, no flotilla of any scale seems to sail for social care, which collectively employs as many people in England as the NHS.
“There are some small steps. Our workforce will welcome general cost-of-living measures, including the upcoming increase to both the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage. Additionally, outreach and domiciliary care workers will particularly welcome increases in mileage rates.
“Yet aside from today’s budget announcement, we are encouraged by positive overtures towards social care from this government.
“These overtures include the government’s upcoming Fair Pay Agreement in 2028. The government needs to ensure that this Fair Pay Agreement is properly funded as well as being ring-fenced within local government budgets and passed on directly to providers.
“We also eagerly await the Casey Commission’s report on adult social care in summer 2027 – and we thank the government for bringing this report’s publication forward by one year. We are hopeful that the report’s conclusions will lead to better outcomes for people who draw on care and support, and a joined-up approach between health and social care.
“We will continue to ask government to keep adult social care among its highest priorities – to create a fairer, better society for the hundreds of thousands of adults who draw on support.”