Backlash on social care reform delay

HEALTH Secretary Steve Barclay said the Government has not abandoned the promised reforms of social care as he acknowledged the NHS was under "severe pressure" Mr Barclay insisted the pressures on the NHS were "predominantly" to do with the pandemic, but admitted the entire crisis could not be blamed on Covid-19.

It comes in the wake of an autumn statement that saw Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announce the health service will receive an extra £3.3 billion in each of the next two years while £4.7 billion will go into social care.

However, the Government has also faced criticism for the decision to push back long-promised social care reforms to October 2025.

The reforms include an £86,000 cap on personal care cost contributions and an expanded means test that is more generous than the existing one, which had been due to come into effect from October 2023.

Mr Barclay said it was a "difficult decision to delay" but told the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that current circumstances had forced the decision.