• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / Independent Living / Queen’s speech: Government will consult on social care funding, but silence on needs of working-age disabled people… again
The Houses of Parliament

Queen’s speech: Government will consult on social care funding, but silence on needs of working-age disabled people… again

By John Pring on 22nd June 2017 Category: Independent Living

Listen

The government has confirmed in the Queen’s speech that it plans to consult on its proposals to address the funding crisis affecting older people’s social care, but has again failed to make any mention of the needs of working-age disabled people.

Conservative plans for the funding of social care for older people – particularly on charging – were widely seen as one of the reasons the party failed to secure an overall parliamentary majority in this month’s general election.

But it was also criticised for failing to include any mention of how it would reform the funding of working-age social care.

Yesterday’s Queen’s speech includes 27 bills and draft bills that the government plans to introduce over the next two years, with much of its focus on the process of leaving the European Union.

The speech includes a pledge to “bring forward proposals for consultation” on social care.

But the briefing notes published alongside the speech ignore the social care needs of working-age disabled people, and say instead that the government will “work to address the challenges of social care for our ageing population” by “bringing forward proposals for consultation”.

They also say that “further reform is required to ensure that the system is prepared to meet the challenges of the increasing numbers of over 75s”, and that the consultation will “set out options to improve the social care system and to put it on a more secure financial footing, supporting people, families and communities to prepare for old age”.

A Department of Health (DH) spokesman said that the consultation was likely to be via a green paper – although a white paper was also possible – which would be published “fairly soon” and “almost definitely” this year.

The controversial social care charging policy proposed by the Tories in their manifesto originally revolved around allowing every older person to retain at least £100,000 of their assets and savings, while the value of people’s homes would be taken into account – when calculating charges – for those receiving domiciliary care as well as those receiving residential care.

But following widespread criticism, May announced that there would also be a lifetime cap on the amount spent on care charges, although she did not say at what level this would be set.

Asked if the consultation would include these proposals, the DH spokesman said: “She will consult on those limits, that is our understanding.”

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter)Share on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on RedditShare on LinkedIn

Tags: Department of Health Queen's speech social care Theresa May

A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Related

Disabled people receiving care were ‘ignored by design’ during the pandemic, Covid inquiry hears
3rd July 2025
Disabled MP drops support for assisted dying bill over ‘broken’ social care and health services
22nd May 2025
Reports send separate warning shots to English and Scottish governments on social care reform
8th May 2025

Primary Sidebar

On the left of the image are multiple heads of different colours - white, aqua, red, light brown, and dark green - all grouped together, then the words ‘Campaign for Disability Justice. Sign up to support. #OpportunitySecurityRespect’
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Access

Latest Stories

‘Disastrous’ cuts bill that leaves legacy of distrust and distress ‘must be dropped’

Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits

Silence from MP sister of Rachel Reeves over suicide linked to PIP flaws, just as government was seeking cuts

Disabled people receiving care were ‘ignored by design’ during the pandemic, Covid inquiry hears

Disabled activists warn Labour MPs who vote for cuts: ‘The gloves will be off’

GB News says it has nothing to apologise for, after guest suggests starving disabled benefit claimants

SEND inspections find services in just one in four areas usually lead to ‘positive’ outcomes for disabled children

Disabled MP who quit government over benefit cuts tells DNS: ‘The consequences will be devastating’

Disabled peers plan to ‘amend, amend, amend, amend, amend’ after assisted dying bill reaches Lords

Minister finally admits that working-age benefits spending is stable, despite months of ‘spiralling’ claims

Advice and Information

Readspeaker
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Threads
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web