The Care Bill [2013-2014] is currently at the Committee Stage of its journey towards enactment.
The Bill is likely to consolidate social care law and represents the most significant attempt by the legislature to transform and modernize this huge and difficult area of public law in more than 70 years.
The Bill has already made its way passed the House of Lords and presented itself before the House of Commons on 30th October 2013. After the 4th February 2014 no further written evidence scrutinising the Bill will be able to be submitted. It is intended that the Public Bill Committee will hold a meeting on 4th February 2014 examining the Bill in detail. The Bill will then move to the Reporting Stage and continue its journey to its third reading, consideration of amendments before its Royal Assent.
The Care Bill is divided into three parts, dealing with care and support, care quality and standards and health care.
The key principles:
- One single clear statute – with clearer definitions;
- Clarification of the entitlement to care and support;
- National eligibility criteria for care and support;
- Promoting the well-being of individuals as well as independence;
- Imposition of duties on local authorities;
- Multi-agency participation in planning;
- Personal budgets and individuals will be on a statuary footing;
- Care and support planning;
- New criteria for assessment for care and support services;
- A duty for the Local Authority to make enquires;
- Lifetime funding cap for individuals in need of care; and
- The deferment of contributions towards the costs of care
The intention of Parliament is that the Bill will be implemented in April 2015.