The two-part commission, which will begin in April, will be led by Baroness Louise Casey.

The commission will be split over two phases with the first, reporting to Sir Keir Starmer in mid-2026, looking at the issues facing social care and recommending medium-term reforms.

The second phase is expected by 2028 and will make recommendations for the longer term.

The commission was announced as part of a wider package of support for the sector, including more funding for elderly and disabled people to make home improvements and training for care workers to perform health checks for patients in the home.

Writing in the Guardian, Wes Streeting said: ‘It will take time, but Casey's work will finally grasp this nettle and set our country on the path to building a national care service that meets the urgent need of our generation, guarantees quality care to all who need it, and lasts long into the future, no matter which government is in power.'

The health secretary added: ‘By 2050, there will be four million more people over the age of 65 in England than there are now. If we do nothing, real social care costs are expected to nearly double by 2038 compared to 2018 numbers.

‘Many more people will be left without the care they need, the burdens will fall on the health service, and our NHS will be overwhelmed.'

Baroness Casey said: ‘Millions of older people, disabled people, their families and carers rely upon an effective adult social care system to live their lives to the full, with independence and dignity.

‘An independent commission is an opportunity to start a national conversation, find the solutions and build consensus on a long-term plan to fix the system. I am pleased the prime minister has asked me to lead this vital work.'

Reaction

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: ‘A long-term solution for social care is absolutely critical as we build an NHS that is fit for the future through the 10 Year Health Plan, so we really welcome the additional investment to services as well as the independent commission into social care. 

She added: ‘The immediate actions to support the social care sector set out today and the work of the commission also comes alongside the government's work to establish the first ever Fair Pay Agreement for care professionals, which we have already introduced legislation for.'

Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: ‘The government's ambition to find a long-term solution for social care is commendable and we urge all parties to work together to create a consensus for action. We know that significant change will require difficult choices, but the pressure on social care and impact on the NHS means that governments can no longer kick the can further down the road.

‘We and our members look forward to working closely with the new commission given the significant implications its findings will have for the health sector. But while we wait for the commission to report back it seems likely that the government may need to provide further short-term support for the social care sector – particularly to break the continued cycle of difficult winters the health and care sectors have experienced.'

Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, said: ‘We are ready to work alongside Baroness Casey and the Government to turn this commission into a catalyst for genuine change. But let's be clear: the status quo is no longer an option. Every day without action means more vulnerable people are left without the care they urgently need now, while the already overwhelming pressures on the NHS continue to intensify.

‘This isn't about politics; it's about people, and we need the Government to act now. Together, we can fix social care, but we must start today, not tomorrow.'

Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, Layla Moran, said: ‘This announcement from the Government on a commission to look at social care is welcome, however this cannot be an exercise in kicking the can down the road. We urge bravery and courage from the Government and all political parties to work together to act boldly and urgently.

‘We are concerned that any further delay perpetuates the hardship for individuals and their families, as well as the cost to the NHS and local authorities.'

Skills for Care chief executive, Oonagh Smyth, said: ‘We are pleased to see the commitment to both short-term support and long-term reform for adult social care because we need both, and we welcome the focus on the 1.59 million people working in social care.

‘We look forward to sharing with the commission the recommendations in the Workforce Strategy that we published last year with key partners from across our diverse sector and are implementing now to ensure that we have the workforce we need for the future.'

Sarah Woolnough, Chief Executive at The King's Fund said: ‘We believe the first phase of the commission should focus on funding and on measures the government could quickly get on with implementing, such as work to improve the use of data and technology in the social care sector, better integration with the NHS and making adult social care a more attractive career. Work on many of these issues is already underway but should be sped up. 

‘But we urge the government to accelerate the timing of the second phase of the commission, which focuses on creating a fair and affordable social care system. The current timetable to report by 2028 is far too long to wait for people who need social care, and their families.'

Unison head of social care, Gavin Edwards, said: ‘This commission must work to a strict timeframe and focus on how to establish a national care service, not on whether one is needed. Urgent work to deliver a fair pay agreement must also be delivered without delay. Both major reforms are vital to retain and recruit skilled staff, and to support those they look after.

‘Unison has led the campaign to create a national service that provides world-class care for everyone who needs it. The government must make it a priority to turn this vision into a reality.'

Kathryn Smith, chief executive at Social Care Institute for Excellence, said: ‘With its aim of building cross-party consensus for a future National Care Service, the Casey Commission has the potential to end decades of gridlock and deliver a lasting settlement that will change the lives of people who draw on care and support for the better.

‘We look forward to contributing to the commission's work, including sharing our ideas and good practice examples for improving access to care, adopting new care models and raising quality standards.'

Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK said: ‘Adult social care is desperately in need of reform and a sustainable future.  Families are under intense pressure and providing more care than ever before, many going without breaks, putting their own health at risk and having no choice but to give up work to care.

‘Good quality and affordable adult social care is critical to the lives of million of unpaid carers and their families providing care, helping them to juggle work and care, return to work, and protect their health and wellbeing. We look forward to engaging with Baroness Casey and the Independent Commission to ensure carers' voices are heard loud and clear and to set out the cross-Government support that unpaid carers need.'

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, said the commission is ‘long overdue'.

He said: ‘2025 must be the year our politics finally rises to the challenge of fixing care - reforming social care and supporting family carers properly too.

‘This social care review must be cross-party if it is to credibly stand the test of time and help save our NHS, so it's disappointing that the government has failed even to consult on its remit.'