Overview

• The independent commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, has started gathering evidence to reform England’s adult social care system.
• The commission’s first phase report is due in 2026, with full implementation of its recommendations potentially stretching to 2036.
• The government cites fiscal constraints and alignment with its ten-year NHS plan as reasons for the phased timeline.
• Charities, campaigners, and local government groups have criticized the decade-long schedule as too slow to address urgent care needs.
• Initial reforms aim to reduce NHS waiting times by addressing delayed hospital discharges and unnecessary admissions.