Social care should be a universal entitlement on par with NHS, says Church of England commission

England’s “broken” social care system should be radically overhauled in a new national care covenant developed through public dialogue, church leaders have said.

The Archbishops’ Commission on Reimagining Care has urged ministers to set out a long term commitment to a universal entitlement to social care regardless of wealth “on a par with the NHS.”

It said that the new covenant would define the role and mutual responsibilities of individuals, families, communities, and local and national government, and lead to a simpler, fairer, and more generously funded system. Overseen at a national government level, the new system would ensure a stronger role for the state and a new deal for unpaid carers to provide better support and recognition.

Reform would require a means of collective funding and pooling of risk, probably with a tariff of care charges established on a national basis, said the commission, which was launched in April 2021 by the archbishops of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and York, Stephen Cottrell. The report on its findings, Care and Support …