Fixing social care is urgent, says minister, after claims of impasse

Ministers are considering whether to create a Royal Commission, with cross-party involvement, to look at how to reform the social care system, or a shorter government-backed independent review.

Sir Ed said although the Lib Dems would back a Royal Commission there needed to be “immediate measures first” and it “must not be an excuse for long-grassing this”.

He said there were things the government could do “straight away”, for example on tackling vacancies in the sector.

The Lib Dem leader called on the government to be “more ambitious”, pointing to his party’s own proposals for a higher minimum wage for care workers.

“Politicians have been failing on this for far too long,” he told the BBC.

“There are millions of people suffering, families being hit financially, people in misery and pain, and we have got to tackle this.”

He added that the Lib Dems were “willing and ready” to take part in negotiations over the issue but he had not yet had a call from Health Secretary Wes Streeting to do so.

Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp accused the government of having “no plan” to tackle the issues with social care.

He told the BBC the government’s decision to increase the rate of National Insurance contributions paid by employers would also make it “even more difficult for the care sector to operate”.

Providers have warned these increased staffing costs could force some care homes to close.