Social Care White Paper and Draft Bill timeline
Published on 26 June 2012 03:00 PM
History and Timeline for the Social Care White Paper and Draft Bill
Date |
History |
| May 2010 | The Coalition Agreement stated "The Government believes that people needing care deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. We understand the urgency of reforming the system of social care to provide much more control to individuals and their carers, and to ease the cost burden that they and their families face." (1) |
| May 2010 | The Government commissioned economist Andrew Dilnot to investigate how social care should be funded |
| May 2011 | The Law Commission publishes recommendations to streamline and modernise outdated social care legislation (2) |
| July 2011 | The Dilnot Commission on Funding of Care and Support (3) recommends a cap of between £25,000 and £50,000 should be set on lifetime cost of an individual's care, together with a rise in the means tested threshold for paying for care from £23,500 to £100,000 |
| July 2011 | The Government announces a commitment to publish a White Paper on Social Care and Progress Funding Report by Spring 2012 to address the key issues raised by the Law Commission and the Dilnot Commission |
| January 2012 | Cross Party Talks on funding social care commence |
| April 2012 | Publication of the White Paper beset by delay |
| May 2012 | Queen's Speech announces Government intention to publish a draft rather than full bill to reform social care, delaying legislation until 2013 |
| June 2012 | Expected publication of Social Care White Paper, and Progress Funding Report. While reform of social care legislation is expected to feature alongside expansion of personal budgets in the White Paper, there is uncertainty over whether there will be any decision on the key question of how to fund social care |
| July 2012 | Expected date of the Draft Bill, which will set out the programme for legislative reform for 2012/13 |
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
Media contact: Hilary Carter
Tel: 020 303 31689
Out of hours: 07071 243 243
1) 
Cabinet Office - Coalition Programme for Government
2) Law Commission Document
3) Dilnot Commission
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