Adult social care winter letter 2025 to 2026

The Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock MP, has written a letter to all chief executives of local councils and directors of adult social services about building winter resilience in local systems. 

The minister said local councils must work with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and NHS Trusts to prevent avoidable hospital admissions, reduce the length of stay and cut delayed discharges.  

He said systems should support NHS winter surge planning, ensure sufficient social care assessment capacity, reduce hospital occupancy before Christmas and deliver recovery-oriented care in people's homes whenever possible. 

In addition, he highlighted several resources available for councils and providers as part of the Better Care Fund Support Programme, delivered by the Local Government Association. This included: 

• High impact change model: improving the timely and effective discharge of people with dementia and delirium into the community. 

• High impact change model: using data and intelligence for whole system decision support. 

• A refresh of the High impact change model: reducing preventable admissions. 

• A refresh of the High impact change model: managing transfers of care. 

Click here to read in full.