Casey Commission Advances Toward National Care Service, Amid Calls for Swift Sector Integration
Baroness Louise Casey’s Independent Commission on Adult Social Care, launched in April 2025, is building momentum toward a “national care service” by 2028, with phase-one findings due mid-2026. Addressing a £20 billion local authority funding gap, the commission explores a £86,000 lifetime care cost cap and £100,000 means-testing thresholds, tackling affordability barriers raised in Care Circle Network forums. September’s Age UK report reveals a decade of decline: fewer older people access support, community health staff are down 15%, and healthy life expectancy stagnates, driving a 25% rise in delayed discharges.
The Care Quality Commission’s October 2025 council assessments flagged failures in over 30 authorities, empowering ministerial interventions. The £3.7 billion Local Government Settlement for 2025/26 and £711 million for home adaptations provide immediate tools, but unpaid carers—contributing £184 billion yearly—lack basics like free COVID jabs for under-75s. X discussions decry privatized care’s 42% profits, urging reallocation to frontline needs. Care Circle Network’s community sees integration as the path forward, with the £9 billion Better Care Fund enabling pilots like Leeds, which cut discharges by 25%.
The commission’s inclusion of lived-experience voices ensures equity, but the 2028 timeline draws scrutiny amid 131,000 vacancies. Leaders can act now by piloting integrated models and joining Network advocacy to reallocate funds from high-profit providers. As the 10-Year Health Plan enhances mental health and digital records, providers can share best practices via Care Circle forums, building a system where 2.1 million users receive consistent, dignified care.