ASC’s Government Transparency Campaign
Graphic with orange background with text ‘Government transparency campaign: where we are now.’
Where we are now…
May 2026
Our long-running legal and policy campaign for Government Transparency in adult social care funding continues, and while progress can sometimes feel slow, it we are gaining momentum. Alongside the legal work, there is a growing effort to bring these issues into the public conversation, including through engagement with the media who are showing interest in this important case.
This update shares where things currently stand, how the campaign developed, and what has been uncovered so far.
How the campaign started
The work began with a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests sent to the Treasury, the Department of Health and Social Care, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.
The aim was simple: to understand how the government decides what counts as “sufficient” funding for adult social care.
When those requests were refused, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) stepped in and ruled in favour of disclosure, saying there was a clear public interest in transparency. Despite that ruling, the departments involved chose to appeal.
That decision ultimately led to the current legal challenge.
Where things stand now
The case now has two main strands:
Equalities information
A judge has ruled that the government must release information relating to its 2021 Equality Impact Assessment. That ruling is currently being appealed.
Funding sufficiency
A further hearing is expected on the formulas used to calculate social care budgets. Early findings from this work suggest a structural issue in the way funding is set. In particular, the current model appears to:
Use previous years’ spending as a baseline - even though Government have admitted there was historic underfunding
Build in assumptions about “efficiency savings” that many councils cannot realistically meet.
We also recently requested permission to share our findings with the Casey Commission to assist this vital work. Again, we were surprised that all three government departments formally opposed this request. As such, our findings were not included.
The Casey Commission
At one point, permission was sought to share findings with the Casey Commission to support its work on social care reform.
All three government departments involved opposed this request, and as a result, the material was not included.
What this campaign is highlighting
Two key issues keep emerging.
The first is that underfunding in social care is not accidental or temporary — it is effectively built into the funding model itself. That makes the crisis harder to fix, even when more money is announced.
The second is a lack of transparency. The way funding decisions are made is not always visible, and there is often a gap between public statements and the underlying mechanics of the system.
Because of this, the campaign is now increasingly focused on bringing these issues into public view, through national media coverage.
With thanks
It’s only through supporters that we have been able to come this far. In particular, we would like to extend a special thank you to ivolve Care & Support, who have recently made a significant donation to support this campaign.
Tim Davies, CEO at ivolve Care & Support shared the reason he wanted to support the campaign:
"We are proud to support Access Social Care and their campaign for government transparency within social care funding. For too long, the true cost of care has been hidden behind complex formulas, and crucial data supporting government claims has been withheld from public view. It is vital that the public and the sector understand the reality of how these funding decisions are being made if we are to achieve any significant progress.
“The government continues to talk about resolving the intense pressures facing social care, but we need honesty about the underlying challenges within the current funding model. Until we have this transparency, it is difficult to see how they can deliver the radical reform we need. We are grateful to Access Social Care for leading this campaign."
Looking ahead
The campaign continues with a focus on transparency, accountability, and reform in how social care funding is designed.
More updates will follow as the legal and media work progresses.