A health care think tank has welcomed confirmation of a £600m fund to boost the social care winter workforce but warn it may not fix the problem ‘after years of neglect.’

The Government today confirmed a £600m package to help with recruitment and retention in social care.

Announced in the autumn statement in 2022, the funding includes a £570m workforce fund over two years, distributed to local authorities and £30m funding for councils in the most challenged health systems.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said: ‘Our workforce reforms will help more people pursue rewarding careers in social care with nationally recognised qualifications. Our investment in social care means more funding to go to the front line. This matters, because support for our care workforce is the key to more care and better care.

‘A stronger social care system, hand in hand with our NHS, will help people get the care they need, when and where they need it.’

Camille Oung, a fellow of the health care think tank Nuffield Trust, welcomed the news and said it will offer some ‘much-needed stability’.

However, she warned it may not be enough ‘after years of neglect’.

‘Care workers are now facing soaring prices on the back of a decade of often poor pay and conditions. A comprehensive programme of reform is needed so that we have a stable, thriving workforce whose terms and conditions attract the growing numbers we need over the coming decades.’

Cllr Martin Tett, County Councils Network (CCN) spokesperson for Adult Social Care, said: 'The County Councils Network very much welcomes this timely announcement by the government. The network called for this remaining funding to be provided directly to councils as soon as possible to help tackle additional inflationary costs and demand pressures which are impacting social care services this year and next.

'With funding split over two years this will help councils mitigate some of the financial and workforce pressures over the next 18 months. It is also positive that the funding will be distributed through the existing Market Sustainability & Improvement Fund without further administrative burdens.'