The Homecare Association welcomes the publication of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 2 report, which examines core political and administrative decision-making during the pandemic. The findings are sobering and must act as a catalyst for meaningful reform.
The report highlights that action across the four UK governments was repeatedly “too little, too late”, and that earlier, stronger interventions could have saved thousands of lives. It also exposes significant failures in preparedness, data, communication, intergovernmental working, and consideration of inequalities. Notably, the Inquiry recognises that vulnerable groups – including older and disabled people relying on social care – were not sufficiently prioritised in planning or decision-making. The Inquiry will report on social care in detail in its Module 6 report.
Commenting on the report, Dr Jane Townson, CEO of the Homecare Association, said:
“The Module 2 report confirms what those working in social care experienced first-hand: a lack of preparedness, late decision-making and insufficient understanding of the essential role of care at home in keeping people safe.
Throughout the pandemic, homecare workers supported older and disabled people in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. Yet the sector was often overlooked in critical decisions about access to PPE, testing, funding and workforce support.
The Inquiry is right to highlight the failure to anticipate, understand and mitigate the disproportionate impact on vulnerable people. Too many were left at risk because social care was not given equal weight in national planning and response structures.
As we look ahead to the Module 6 findings, it is vital that government listens, learns, and acts. We must build a resilient, well-funded and integrated care system which protects people’s rights, supports care workers properly, and ensures that mistakes of the past are not repeated.
The Homecare Association stands ready to work with all four nations to develop stronger emergency planning, clearer communication, and sustainable investment in homecare, so we are never again caught unprepared.”
The Homecare Association urges policymakers to implement the Inquiry’s cross-cutting recommendations without delay, particularly those related to protecting vulnerable groups, improving data and communication, and ensuring social care is fully integrated into emergency planning. The lessons from this report must shape a future in which older and disabled people receive the timely, safe and dignified support they deserve.
ENDS
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