The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has called for urgent reform in England’s adult social care system to break the ‘crisis-cash-repeat’ cycle.
In a comprehensive response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s evidence request on ‘The Adult Social Care Reform: The Cost of Inaction’, CIPFA emphasised the need for a reformed, sustainable adult social care system.
For years, England’s adult social care system has been trapped in a ‘crisis-cash-repeat’ model, where emergency funding is deployed without addressing systemic issues, leading to poor value for money.
The Social Care Grant, service charges, and local taxes are insufficient to meet the growing demands, resulting in significant public impact, CIPFA said.
CIPFA and the Institute for Government have noted that the government’s short-term funding measures fail to provide long-term solutions.
The workforce in adult social care is a prime example of the ‘crisis-cash-repeat’ model’s failings. Inadequate pay, career progression, and training have led to high staff turnover and vacancies.
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By GlobalDataCIPFA’s report reveals that inaction on social care reform has led to ‘vicious cycles’ of increasing demand and diminishing resources for preventative measures.
Reduced local authority spending power, due to central government grant cuts, has exacerbated the situation, resulting in less funding for essential services and preventative activities.
The cost of inaction on adult social care reform hinders future reform efforts, diminishes value for money, and worsens public outcomes.
The government must take decisive action to create a resilient and sustainable system that addresses the needs of an ageing population, shifting from a crisis-driven approach to one focused on prevention and long-term planning, CIPFA noted.
CIPFA social care policy advisor Dr William Burns said: “For too long, governments of all stripes have relied on a reactive approach to adult social care funding—a model we call ‘crisis-cash-repeat.’ This short-term mindset fails to address the root causes of the sector’s challenges, leaving councils grappling with rising demand and inadequate resources.
“Every delay in reforming adult social care compounds the problem. The current system forces local authorities to divert scarce resources toward immediate statutory duties at the expense of preventative measures. This perpetuates a vicious cycle where unmet needs grow, costs rise, and the opportunity for meaningful reform diminishes.
“CIPFA calls on the Government to act urgently to break this destructive cycle. By moving away from emergency funding and taking a longer-term view, we can build a sustainable adult social care system ready to meet the increasingly complex needs of our ageing population. Investing in system reform now will yield better outcomes, deliver value for money, and create a system that supports people to live longer, healthier, and more independent lives.”
The cost of inaction on adult social care reform hinders future reform efforts, diminishes value for money, and worsens public outcomes.
