NHS and social care system to receive record £39 billion government funding

Today, the Health and Social Care Levy will come into effect and begin to raise billions to help tackle the Covid backlogs and “reform” the adult social care system.

Over the next three years, a record £39bn will be invested in the health and social care system to ensure it has the long-term resources necessary to provide “world-class care”, while the government aims to deliver the “biggest catch up programme in the NHS’ history”.

The pandemic put unprecedented pressure on the NHS. The number of people waiting for elective care in England is over 6 million, up from 4.4 million before the pandemic, and this is expected to rise, as up to 10 million people did not come forward for treatment during the pandemic.

The NHS resource budget will increase to over £160bn in 2024-25, including £5.9bn of capital investment to support diagnostics, technology, and elective recovery.

The Levy will also reform the social care system, backed by £5.4bn. It will end “spiralling” social care costs, provide a limit to the cost of care for workers in the adult social care system for the first time, and significantly increase state support.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We must be there for our NHS in the same way that it is there for us. Covid led to the longest waiting lists we’ve ever seen, so we will deliver millions more scans, checks and operations in the biggest catch-up programme in the NHS’ history.

“We know this won’t be a quick fix, and we know that we can’t fix waiting lists without fixing social care. Our reforms will end the cruel lottery of spiralling and unpredictable care costs once and for all and bring the NHS and social care closer together.”