£500 million Discharge Fund

The Department of Health and Social Care has today (17 November) announced £500 million funding to free up hospital beds through quicker discharge. Integrated Care Boards will receive £300 million to improve bed capacity and £200 million will go to councils to increase adult social care workforce capacity.

Councils and Integrated Care Boards will work together to agree on spending across their regions. Allocations will be published in due course with payments to be made in the coming weeks. A second tranche of funding will be distributed in January 2023 to deliver support across winter.

Local areas will be free to spend the funding on initiatives which will have the greatest impact in their area on reducing discharges into social care. Read the announcement here.