COVID-19 hospital discharge and support care funding (2020/21)

Publications approval reference: C1123

10 February 2021

To:
NHS England and NHS Improvement Regional Hospital Discharge Leads
NHS England and NHS Improvement Regional Care Sector Leads
Chief Executives of NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts and Community Interest Companies
Accountable Officers of Clinical Commissioning Groups

Copy to:
NHS England and NHS Improvement Regional Directors
Better Care Managers and Advisors

Dear Colleagues

COVID-19 Hospital discharge and support care funding (2020/21)

This letter provides an update to health and social care systems on funding of post-discharge support for the remainder of the 2020/21 financial year.

From 1 September 2020 to 31 March 2021, government funding of £588 million is in place to provide funded support packages of care and rehabilitation for individuals with new care requirements on discharge from hospital.

The government has confirmed that this funding can be utilised for new packages of care (up to six weeks for persons with new or additional care needs) and payment for designated care settings that commence up to 31 March 2021. This means that new packages of care and designated care settings can be funded into the 2021/22 financial year for up to a maximum of six weeks from the point of discharge, as long as the package/placement starts between now and the end of March 2021.

No decisions have been made by the government about the continuation of discharge to assess funding from April 2021. Systems should therefore assume that individuals discharged from hospital from 1 April 2021 onwards who require care and support under a discharge to assess scheme will need to be funded from locally agreed funding arrangements. Health and social care colleagues may wish to refer to recently published top tips for implementing home first / discharge to assess for support and advice.

Yours faithfully

Matthew Winn | Director of Community Health | NHS England and NHS Improvement