Lewisham Council has approved the allocation of £54.5 million towards the Better Care Fund for the 2026-27 financial year. This funding, governed by a Section 75 Agreement with NHS South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB), aims to integrate health and social care services to improve resident outcomes.
The total pooled budget for the Better Care Fund 2026-27 amounts to £54,500,230. The local authority elements of the Better Care Fund form part of the Council's approved revenue and capital budgets. The NHS Minimum Contribution is £33,317,619, the Local Authority Better Care Grant is £18,433,042, and the DFG allocation is £1,952,454.
The Better Care Fund (BCF) plays a vital role in integrating health and social care to improve resident outcomes, aiming to help people remain independent for longer and reduce hospital admissions. The agreement provides a governance framework that allows the Council and the SEL ICB to jointly commission and oversee services funded by the Better Care Fund. The SEL ICB is a party to the agreement and contributes to the pooled fund.
Councillor Samantha Gardiner, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, explained the importance of the fund in preventing hospital admissions and supporting timely discharges. The overall aim really is to help people remain independent for longer to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and support people to leave hospitals safely and at the right time,
she stated.
The fund will be monitored against national measures focused on reducing avoidable emergency hospital admissions for those aged 65 and over and improving hospital discharge rates. Locally, the council will track reductions in long-term admissions to residential and nursing care and the effectiveness of reablement support in helping people live independently at home for longer after leaving hospital.
The Section 75 Agreement, which formalises the pooled budget arrangements, must be in place by the end of September 2026. The approval by Mayor and Cabinet allows the Council to enter into this agreement, ensuring the continued delivery of the Better Care Fund plan for the coming year. This agreement can be found in the Public reports pack 09th Sep 2026 18.00 Mayor and Cabinet.
