What does Scotland’s social care sector need from the new parliament?

This article was originally published by TFN on May 22, 2026. 

It’s been just over two weeks since Scotland went to the ballot box, our MSPs have all been sworn in, and members of the new government are settling into their positions.

With nearly half of this cohort of MSPs being new to parliament, and a significant reshuffle of cabinet and ministerial briefs and positions having taken place, I’m sure it will take some time for everyone to settle in and learn the ropes of their new jobs. However, MSPs of all parties must also now look ahead at what the priorities should be for this session of parliament. And for Scotland’s social care sector, there’s no time to lose.

My organisation, the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland, has written to the 129 MSPs who make up this parliament to help them understand the vital role of not-for-profit social care and support and why it urgently requires change and investment. The change we seek needs cross-party leadership – both because of the parliamentary arithmetic now, and because we need change that lasts beyond this parliamentary term.

We have also been in touch with members of the new government to say that we are ready to work alongside them to build a strong and sustainable social care system for all who need it. We made it clear that while challenges exist for the government, so too do solutions. Meaningful change is possible, and the first steps we need to take are clear.

Firstly, social care must be funded like it matters, as proper investment is the foundation on which a secure and sustainable social care sector can be built. For too long, social care providers have felt the strain of underfunding, which has been compounded by increasing demand for services and rising delivery costs.

Social care transforms lives, boosts the economy, and eases pressures on other public services, including the NHS. Yet decades of underinvestment have put the sector’s viability at risk. Surveys carried out among our membership at the end of last year showed providers being forced to reduce staff numbers, scale back services, and rely on reserves to reach financial balance.

We need to see allocations of funds that reflect the true cost of delivering good support. This would help stabilise the sector and support providers’ long-term planning, helping them deliver preventative support, and easing pressures on other public services – saving the government money in the long run.

We also need urgent action on fair work and pay to recognise our qualified, highly skilled and professionally regulated staff, who provide complex and specialised support in communities across Scotland every day.

Currently, the basic rate of not-for-profit social care pay is in the hands of the Scottish Government, and it does not align with social care workers’ vital contribution to our society.  Fair terms and conditions would help make social care a sustainable career choice, meaning the sector is not losing talented and skilled staff and can attract new people to the sector. This is critical to sustain services.

That brings me to another ask of the new parliament and government: social care providers must have a seat at the table in discussions around improving and reforming the sector.

When it comes to fair work, a clear path to finally lever this would be through sectoral bargaining – an endeavour we have been working to design with provider, union and government partners for some time. Shortly before the last parliament was dissolved, the government announced its intention to create a new voluntary social care bargaining forum to help improve pay and conditions for workers. We remain committed to working in partnership to ensure that this is designed and implemented in a way that delivers tangible benefits for the workforce, providers, and the people they support.

But engaging with providers goes beyond these kinds of formal negotiations. It also means listening to and working with social care providers, their staff and the people they support in all decisions being made about the sector. Change cannot be made on our behalf without engaging with us as equal system partners.

In his speech at Holyrood on Wednesday, the first minister emphasised that he wanted to find common ground and “work across party lines”, with a commitment to bring people together “to build a country where everyone feels accepted and is able to contribute”.

We support this vision absolutely.  And for Scottish citizens in need of support to flourish, a vibrant, sustainable and accessible social care and support sector is critical to its delivery.