Prime Minister sets out commitment to adult social care reform 
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has set out plans to accelerate adult social care reform and work towards a National Care Service. The government has brought forward the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care final report to summer 2027 and is planning cross-party talks on long-term reform. The government is also looking at ways to build on the Fair Pay Agreement and bring care workforce pay and progression closer to NHS standards. 
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Alison McGovern takes over social care brief 
Alison McGovern has been appointed Minister of State for Social Care in Andy Burnham’s new government. Her responsibilities include adult social care, hospital discharge, frailty and dementia, end-of-life care and disabilities, with her appointment coming as the government signals an accelerated approach to wider social care and workforce reform. 
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The Big Conversation on Care gets underway 
The Casey Commission has launched its Big Conversation on Care, inviting people across England to share their ideas for the future of adult social care. Running until April 2027, the initiative asks people to consider who should provide support when someone is older, disabled or seriously ill, and how that support should work. The National Care Forum is encouraging people across the sector to take part and help shape the debate. 
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What does the public want from social care workforce reform? 
New Health Foundation and Ipsos polling shows public priorities for the social care workforce as the government considers going further on pay and conditions. With many care workers still experiencing low pay, limited benefits and few opportunities for progression, the findings highlight public appetite for greater workforce investment and add to the discussion around the future of the Fair Pay Agreement. 
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Care England welcomes ambition but calls for sustainable funding 
Care England has welcomed the Prime Minister’s renewed focus on social care and plans for cross-party talks, particularly his ambition to improve pay, progression and conditions for the workforce. However, it has stressed that any new commitments must be fully funded, warning that providers cannot meet additional workforce costs without commissioners receiving the resources to support them. 
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Digital must be part of the Big Conversation, says Digital Care Hub 
Digital Care Hub is calling for technology, data and cyber resilience to be firmly included in discussions about the future of social care. Responding to the Big Conversation on Care, it argues that digital transformation can help ease pressure on care workers and managers while supporting safer, more joined-up and person-centred care - provided the sector has the skills and confidence to use technology effectively. 
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Fair Pay Agreement and Care Workforce Pathway reach key milestones 
The government has confirmed further details of the Fair Pay Agreement process alongside an expansion of the Care Workforce Pathway. A new Adult Social Care Negotiating Body will bring employers and trade unions together to negotiate on pay, terms and conditions, with the first agreement backed by £500 million for 2028–29. Meanwhile, ten additional role categories have been added to the Care Workforce Pathway to provide clearer development opportunities across the sector. 
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