The Law Commission has today proposed the most radical shake-up of adult social care law in 60 years.

The proposals, uniting the provisions of 38 separate acts in one modern statute, aim to avoid red tape, delays and litigation. They will also save public money and clarify the rights of the estimated six million carers of elderly and disabled relatives and friends.

The proposals, set out in the commission’s consultation paper Adult Social Care, include: establishing a core set of overarching principles to guide social care decisions; introducing a single and explicit duty to assess individuals’ needs; a duty on local authorities to provide community services for all those eligible; the introduction of a single duty to assess the needs of any carer; and a statutory duty on local authorities to investigate when they suspect that vulnerable adults are being abused or neglected.

Frances Patterson QC, the law commissioner leading the project, said: ‘We are seeking to bring clarity to the system of social care. We are not seeking to change existing entitlements. A clear, modern statute will save time and money wasted on operating the current (outdated) system.’