MPs warn ministers of cost of inaction on social care

A cross-party group of MPs has warned that attempts to reform adult social care are doomed to fail unless ministers accept that major investment is needed to overhaul a "broken" system that is failing millions of people.

- Patrick Butler

Reform of social care was typically seen by governments as a "burden" on the taxpayer and a "drain on resources" rather than a positive boost to people's lives, the NHS and the economy, the health and social care select committee said. "Time and again, governments have stepped back from reform when faced with the cost. Too much emphasis is put on the cost of change and not enough consideration is given to the human and financial cost of no or incremental change."

While the costs of reforming the system were substantial - up to £17bn according to some estimates cited in the committee's report - this had to be set against the £32bn currently spent every year on a system that was failing.