Last Updated on October 8, 2025

New research published by the LGIU and the CIPFA highlights National Care Service lessons for the Casey Commission. Following the first meeting of Baroness Casey’s cross-party Social Care Commission last month and the International Day of Older Persons this week, the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) have announced a series of research briefings on the approaches of the Scottish, Welsh and UK governments to building National Care Services.

The Casey Commission (launched in July) has followed many attempts to address systemic issues in adult social care and lay the foundations for a National Care Service. In the past 27 years, there have been numerous separate white papers, reviews and commissions on adult social care. With Chair Louise Casey keen to take forward improvements for the sector, time will tell whether the new commission will deliver the desperately needed answers, the LGIU reports.

However, with UK nations at different points on their social care reform journeys, there are lessons to be learned, the LGIU states. LGIU and CIPFA’s new research series aims to help inform the work of the Casey Commission by bringing together key sector voices from Scotland, Wales and England to explore themes around the National Care Service's progress in those areas from policy inception to present, lessons learned from each country's journey and the wider implications of adult social care reform and a National Care Service in each country.

The first research briefing (launched on 29 September) looks at the story so far across the three nations and draws some broad conclusions about the success or otherwise of each approach.

The other research briefings will explore:

• What the future of a National Care Service and adult social care reform holds in each country – due to be published in early 2026.
• Lessons from each country’s National Care Service journey, including lessons learned from the Scottish and Welsh experiences, and how these can be adopted by the UK Government as it pursues the policy of establishing an NCS in England – due to be published in the autumn.

Commenting on the announcement of the new research briefings, Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive at LGIU, said, 'Addressing the social care crisis is fundamental to placing local government finances on a sustainable footing. Our annual State of Local Government Finance research consistently highlights the cost of delivering social care as one of the most pernicious long-term threats to council finances. In recent years, we’ve seen National Care Services crop up in each nation as a potential solution, but not as much work comparing what these might look like or the lessons the nations can learn from one another.

'I am delighted that the LGIU is working with CIPFA to explore the progress of establishing National Care Services in Scotland, England and Wales so far, including lessons learned and how these can be adopted across the UK going forward. Our key organisational focus on local government and CIPFA’s expertise on finance will allow us to tackle the thorny questions of who will be delivering care in a National Care Service and how we will pay for it.

'Our hope is that this series of three briefings can help inform the work of the Casey Commission and will contribute to debates around the experience and future of adult social care reform in Scotland and Wales.'

Owen Mapley, Chief Executive at CIPFA said, 'Reform of adult social care is one of the most pressing financial and policy challenges facing the UK. Through this joint research from CIPFA and the LGIU, we want to bring the financial realities to the fore and ensure that any future National Care Service is not only ambitious in scope, but also deliverable in practice.

'Looking across Scotland, Wales and England, it is vital that we learn from the progress – and the pitfalls – of each approach to build a model of care that is equitable, financially sustainable and capable of meeting the needs of our ageing population. We hope this work will support the Casey Commission in driving forward meaningful reform that finally secures a fair and lasting solution for adult social care.'

To read the first LGIU and CIPFA research briefing, click here.

In other news, Age UK’s 10th anniversary State of Health and Care of Older People report reveals growing inequalities in older people’s health.