Social Care News

Inquiry into costs of caring for ageing population launched – have your say

The National Assembly's finance committee has launched an investigation into the cost of caring for an ageing population.

The investigation was launched at the beginning of October and CFW will be providing a written response but individual providers can also submit responses up to December 8. Oral evidence sessions will begin after Christmas.

Among the issues being investigated are:

• To examine patterns in demand for social care services for those of pension age and the related costs of delivery of residential and non-residential care, taking account of the role of informal carers who provide unpaid services to those requiring care;
• To examine the financial pressures on the social care system, such as increases in wages, automatic pension enrolment and staff recruitment and retention difficulties, including the related financial impacts arising from the UK leaving the European Union;
• To consider the financial impact of current Welsh Government policies - including recent social services legislation and reforms to social care funding - on local authorities, care providers and service users;
• To consider future social care needs and related costs, including the projected increase in the proportion of the population of Wales of pension age;
• To assess the fiscal levers available to the Welsh Government to reform the arrangements for funding social care. This will include the consideration of alternative models, including international examples, for the funding of social care to ensure a good quality, fair and sustainable service in a time of increasing demands on the health and social care systems; and
• To consider the findings and conclusions of the Parliamentary Review.

Submissions should be sent to: seneddfinance@assembly.wales by December 8.

Find out more about the inquiry on the National Assembly's website HERE.