The Casey Commission: A Much-Needed Lifeline... That Might Arrive Too Late!

If a report falls in 2028 and no one’s around to read it, did it really make a difference?

The Casey Commission has officially begun, and we genuinely welcome it. It shows recognition at the highest level that our adult social care system is buckling. Louise Casey’s no-nonsense, roll-up-your-sleeves approach is exactly what’s needed—someone who can see the full picture, call it as it is, and push through meaningful reform. But here’s the thing:

We simply don't have time to wait for the Casey Commission

As a provider supporting adults with learning disabilities, we see the cracks daily. We don’t need a commission to tell us that care staff are exhausted, funding is inadequate, and families are propping up a system that’s leaning dangerously to one side. We already know—because we live it.

So when we hear that the first report from the commission won’t land until 2026 and the final recommendations are due in 2028, it’s hard not to feel a little anxious... and maybe reach for the coffee. Or something stronger.

The maths doesn’t lie, and neither does reality

MPs recently warned that the reforms are “doomed to fail” unless the government understands the true cost of doing nothing. We couldn’t agree more. £32 billion a year is already spent on adult social care in England, and yet much of it is patching over the problem—not solving it.

Unpaid carers are plugging huge gaps, contributing an estimated £184 billion worth of care annually. That's not a typo. That’s the equivalent of the entire NHS budget. Except unpaid carers don’t get pensions, breaks, or a pat on the back—they get burnout.

There’s no shortage of reports. What we’re short on is urgency

Social care doesn’t need another report that ends up as a dusty PDF buried deep in a .gov.uk archive. It needs action. We appreciate the intent, the expertise, and the passion behind the Casey Commission—but let’s be honest: if reform is coming in 2028, some services simply won’t make it to see the day.

As Jim Kane of Community Integrated Care pointed out, what’s needed isn’t just visionary long-term change (though yes please, bring that too)—what’s needed is immediate support to stabilise the sector. Let’s stop pretending this is a problem that can be pencilled in for next Parliament.

What can be done now?

• Boost frontline pay and conditions before more people leave for better-paid jobs elsewhere (hello, supermarket shelf-stacking—we see you).

• Increase and ringfence local authority budgets for adult social care.

• Give providers the support we need to retain good staff, deliver outstanding care, and build sustainable services that don’t collapse under red tape.

Final Thoughts

We’re ready to help shape the future. But we also need help right now. If the government truly wants the Casey Commission to have impact, it needs to show the sector that this isn’t just an exercise in box-ticking or crisis deferral. We’re past the warning signs. The crisis is here.

Let’s not commission a solution for 2028 when what we really need is a rescue plan for 2025.

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