Adult social care contributes billions to English economy

The growing adult social care sector and its skilled workforce contribute £50.3 billion to the English economy, according to a report by Skills for Care.

Skills for Care commissioned economic consultants KDNA to produce a detailed analysis of how that significant economic spend is made in communities across England.

‘The value of adult social care in England’ report argues that the best way to make adult social care sustainable in the long-term is to move away from payment for adult social care processes to payment based on better outcomes for people who draw on care and support services.

It argues that the skills and knowledge of the 1.5m strong adult social care workforce is absolutely central to high quality, and that investing in the development of talented and productive care workers has significant benefits to the outcomes of people drawing on care and support as well wider benefits to the national economy.

This report can help shape how to offer contracts that reward and value quality of care and the wellbeing outcomes of that support.

This will allow payment of wages to care staff that will better represent the true value of the work they do to support people. Addressing this is important at a time when providers are reporting significant recruitment and retention challenges.

The report analyses the workforce’s value to society and monetises some of these benefits, including improved wellbeing of carers and employment opportunities for carers which is calculated as up to £1.3bn and around £5.6 billion for working-age adults.

In total, Skills for Care estimate that these economic benefits are at least £7.9bn over and above the economic value of £50.3bn.

Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth said: ‘This report supports our vision of a fair and just society, where people can access the advice, care and support they need delivered by skilled and motivated workers to live their lives to the fullest.

‘Over the last year the 1.5m people who work in social care have gone above and beyond the call of duty to continue to support our families and people in all of our communities to live their lives, to do the things that they want and keep the relationships that are important to them.

‘This report shows very clearly that they also make a significant and growing contribution to the national economy.’

Photo Credit – engin akyurt