Last Updated on April 24, 2018

A group of people from across the country are being brought together as a citizens' assembly on funding social care. It is the first citizens' assembly commissioned by Parliament and will consider the best way to fund adult social care.

The Citizens' Assembly on Funding Social Care will be made up of a maximum of 50 people chosen to reflect the makeup of the wider population and builds on Parliament's existing public engagement.

It is being set up as part of the inquiry into the long-term funding of adult social care being carried out by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee and the Health and Social Care Committee.

Over two weekends, the Citizens' Assembly members will hear from expert contributors with different views on how adult social care should be funded, before discussing the issues and reaching a set of recommendations.

The findings will be considered by the Committees alongside other evidence submitted to the inquiry, which is aimed at finding the best way of funding social care sustainably in the long term and proposals that will command both public and political consensus.

The Citizen's Assembly is being run by Involve – a public participation charity that aims to put people at the heart of decision-making.

Sarah Wollaston MP, Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, said, 'Parliament has been reaching out and engaging with the public for many years. Using a citizens’ assembly takes this further in helping to gauge informed opinion on one of the key issues of the day.

'If this proves helpful I hope citizens’ assemblies could be rolled out as a way of helping Parliament to engage with the public ahead of other challenging and complex decisions.'

Clive Betts MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee, said, 'The adult social care system is under huge financial pressure and there is an urgent need to come up with a way of funding the system that will ensure it is sustainable.

'Many proposals have been put forward, from using national taxation as a new source of funding through to the introduction of a compulsory insurance scheme or extra revenue from inheritance tax, and our inquiry is focused on examining the options and informing the Government's approach.

'A long-term solution is necessary if we are to ensure the right care is available for everyone who needs it. The Citizens’ Assembly has an opportunity to bring forward ideas that could command consensus.'