Latest News
CSA writes to new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
June 4, 2026
James Murray has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care following Wes Streeting’s resignation.
Our three co-chairs have written to James Murray on behalf of the CSA to introduce ourselves, outline our hopes and ambitions for adult social care reform and offer our support in his new role.
Read the letter to James Murray below.
DHSC announces decision to uprate Minimum Income Guarantee by 7%
February 23, 2026
On 17 February, DHSC announced a decision to uprate the Minimum Income Guarantee for working-age disabled adults by 7%. The Minimum Income Guarantee is the minimum amount of money a person should have left over each week for living costs (like food and bills), after contributing to their care costs.
Jackie O’Sullivan, Co-Chair of the Care and Support Alliance, said:
“The Government’s decision to uprate the Minimum Income Guarantee for working age disabled adults accessing social care by 7% is welcome news, and relates to one of the key asks in the Care and Support Alliance’s Show Us You Care campaign which reached every single MP.
“For many years, Minimum Income Guarantee rates were frozen for working-age disabled adults, which plunged many people into poverty. Some people even had to turn away the care they so desperately needed because they couldn’t afford it. Ideally, people shouldn’t have to dip into their benefits to fund their care, but that doesn’t stop us welcoming the fact that so many people who rely on care and support will be better off.”
Our response to the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget 2025
November 26, 2025
In response to the Chancellor’s Budget announcement on 26 November 2025, the three co-chairs of the Care and Support Alliance; Caroline Abrahams CBE, Charity Director at Age UK, Jackie O’Sullivan, Executive Director of Strategy and Influence at Mencap, and Emily Holzhausen CBE, Director of Policy and Public Affairs at Carers UK, said:
“Today’s Budget announcement does nothing to address the escalating crisis in social care. Adult social care budgets in England are already heading for a £623 million overspend this year, driven by rising demand from people with increasingly complex needs – and demographic modelling shows this pressure will only increase as more of us live longer with multiple long-term conditions.
Behind these figures lies a staggering level of unmet need. Disabled people, older people and unpaid carers are being left without the basic support required to live safely and with dignity. Families are being pushed to breaking point, and local authorities cannot continue stretching budgets that no longer meet even their legal duties.
Just yesterday, we delivered our Red Box of Stories to the Chancellor – a powerful reminder of the real lives behind these statistics. Those stories made clear that people cannot afford to wait any longer for action.
We strongly support the work of the Casey Commission, which will play a vital role in setting out long-term solutions — but action on social care cannot wait until 2028. People need help now. The Government must commit to urgent investment or the crisis will deepen further and the human cost will continue to grow.”
Autumn Budget 2025: Delivering Our Red Box of Stories
November 25, 2025
On 24 November, a small delegation of Care and Support Alliance (CSA) campaigners made their way to No.11 Downing Street to hand-deliver our symbolic red box, filled with the stories of the real figures that matter – the older people, disabled people and unpaid carers across the country whose lives are shaped by the care and support they can access.
Our delegation delivered the red box to Chancellor Rachel Reeves at No. 11 Downing Street, reminding her that with the Budget only days away, the most important “figures” she must consider aren’t numbers in spreadsheets, but the millions of people struggling without the care and support they urgently need.
Vic, an unpaid carer who attended the hand-in at Downing Street, said:
“I’ve been a carer for more than twenty years, supporting both my wife and my son while working full-time. My day doesn’t end when my shift does — I care before work, after work, and through the night. Like so many families, we just keep going because there’s no real safety net. What we need is proper funding for social care so that people like my son can live safely and reach their potential, and carers like me can get the breaks and support we need to stay well. Caring shouldn’t mean losing your health, your income, or your hope. We need a system that truly shares the responsibility, not one that leaves families to shoulder it alone.”
Emily, co-chair of the Care and Support Alliance said:
“Today’s red box carries the real figures the Chancellor must consider – the disabled people, older people and carers who desperately need her to act. Social care is not a luxury – it’s essential for millions of families across the country and yet, far too many people are going without, bearing the cost of successive governments’ inaction. Investment in social care is not only about compassion but also about strengthening the NHS, the economy, and community. The chancellor must deliver the funding needed right here, right now.”
Our brilliant co-chair Jackie powered through London’s chaos and arrived just in time!
Unfortunately, not all of our delegation made it. One of our long-standing activists, a powered wheelchair user, was unable to attend because his chair’s motor broke more than a month ago – and still hasn’t been repaired. The impact on his independence, mobility, and ability to participate underscores exactly why today’s message is so vital. His absence was powerfully felt, and a stark reminder of the challenges and delays too many disabled people face.
After the hand-in at No.11, the delegation joined a larger group of CSA campaigners and supporters, and together we made our way to the Treasury. With banners, determination and a shared purpose, we carried the voices of millions who need a social care system that really works.
As the Chancellor finalises her Budget, our message is clear: Remember the people behind the numbers. Make social care the national priority it must be.
Below, you’ll find photos from the day — including Jackie’s heroic dash, the hand-in at Downing Street, and the group outside the Treasury.
Together, we keep pushing. Together, we keep telling these stories. And together, we’ll keep campaigning for the investment and action that older people, disabled people and unpaid carers need — and deserve.
Autumn Budget 2025: The Real Figures that Matter
November 12, 2025
As the Chancellor prepares the 2025 autumn Budget, we at the Care and Support Alliance urge her to remember the real people behind the numbers – and to make social care a national priority.
This month, before the Budget announcement, we will deliver a symbolic red box filled with stories from disabled people, older people, and unpaid carers to Downing Street. The message is clear: the most important “figures” in this Budget are people – and we cannot wait any longer for action on social care.
Social care remains chronically underfunded, leaving hundreds of thousands without the help and support they need to live their lives safely and with dignity. As the Care and Support Alliance – a coalition of 60 leading charities – we know that without urgent investment, more disabled people, older people, and unpaid carers will be left without the care they need. People will miss out on the support they need to live safely, happily and independently. Families will continue to be pushed to breaking point as they struggle to plug the gaps.
As a matter of urgency, we are calling on the Chancellor to:
- Commit to long-term, sustainable funding for social care.
- Ensure fair pay and conditions for care staff.
- Guarantee that everyone who needs care and support can access it, regardless of where they live.
