Lives that Matter
The future of care and support for working-age adults
We are inviting people to share their experiences, evidence and ideas. Tell us what good care and support helps working-age adults to do, what gets in the way, and what needs to change.
Share your evidence Read the questions
About this work
PF Global is a company that carries out research and suggests new ideas for government policy. We have been asked to write a report on how care and support for working-age adults could be better. We are particularly interested in support for people who need a lot of help because of serious, long-term disabilities or mental health problems.
The work is being paid for and published by Care Matters, an organisation that shares evidence and ideas about specialist social care for people with complex needs.
Why now?
The government is making plans for long-term reform of social care for adults. Andy Burnham, the prime minister, has said he wants to create a National Care Service. He has asked Baroness Casey to look at how social care should change and report back by July 2027.
Baroness Casey is looking at care for older people and care for younger disabled adults separately. But this split could mean that younger adults who need a lot of support are ignored or misunderstood.
So we want to find out what good care and support helps working-age adults to do, what gets in the way, and what needs to change.
How to take part
Your experience Tell us about your own life, or the life of someone you support.
Your work Share an example from your work.
Research Brief us on some research.
Ideas Suggest an idea for change.
Good to know
What you send does not need to be new. You can send things you have already written or made, such as videos, audio, blogs, reports or links to websites.
You can answer any of the questions below, or tell us something else you think is important.
Answer in writing, or send us a video or voice recording.
What you say can be short. Tell us anything that you feel we need to see or hear.
The questions
Answer as many or as few as you like.
For people who draw on support, their families and people who give support
Whether that support is paid or unpaid.
What matters most to you in your life, or in the life of the person you support? What would you like care and support to help you to do, every day or sometimes?
Tell us about a time when care or support worked really well. What made the difference?
Tell us about a time when getting or using support was difficult, or when the support needed was not available. What happened and what was the impact?
How much control do you, or the person you support, have over important choices and everyday decisions? What would give more control?
If you could change one thing (or more!) about care and support, what would it be, and why?
For people who wish to comment on how care and support is planned, arranged and paid for
Nationally and locally.
How could assessment, charging, commissioning or funding arrangements be improved for working-age adults with significant needs?
What should people be able to expect wherever they live in England, and what changes are needed to achieve national consistency?
What contribution does support other than ‘personal care’ make to people’s lives? How should it be assessed, commissioned and funded?
How should support be planned, delivered and funded for people whose needs are likely to continue for a long time?
Who should pay for different forms of care and support, including health and housing related services? What, if anything, should people pay for from their own money, including any benefits they receive?
Send us your evidence
Send your response, in whatever format suits you, to [add weblink OR email].
The closing date is [add date].