Government to review social care eligibility rules

The government is to review the criteria which outline people’s right to receive care services, it has been announced.

Care services minister Ivan Lewis has asked the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) to undertake the review and report back with recommendations this autumn.

The review is intended to target the national definitions of need and how eligibility criteria are applied at the local level by councils.

Mr Lewis highlighted that the government was to consult extensively on the development of a new long-term funding system for social care as well as bring about reforms to personal care budgets and create new benefits for carers.

Commenting on the current problems, he illustrated: “There will always be a need for a national social care framework, but the existing system is leaving too many families on their own and runs the risk of damaging our commitment to support older and disabled people to live independently.”

Mr Lewis added that he wanted to see the end of a “no help here” culture that was evident in parts of the system.

Dame Denise Platt, chair of the CSCI, has confirmed that the body’s report would call for more “responsive” care.