The Care and Support (Business Failure) Regulations 2015

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Sections 48 to 52 of the Care Act 2014 (“the Act”) impose duties (“temporary duties”) on local authorities in England and Wales, and on Health and Social Care trusts in Northern Ireland (“HSC trusts”), to meet care and support needs of adults, or support needs of carers, in circumstances where registered providers of care are unable to carry on because of “business failure”.

These Regulations make provision as to the interpretation, for those purposes, of “business failure” and as to circumstances in which a person is to be treated as unable to do something because of “business failure”. (As regards Scotland, certain duties are imposed on local authorities under Part 2 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.)

Regulation 2 sets out the events which constitute business failure for the purposes of the temporary duties on local authorities in England and Wales, and on HSC trusts.

In relation to a provider, other than an individual, registered in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, business failure consists of—

• the appointment of an administrator;

• the appointment of a receiver;

• the appointment of an administrative receiver;

• the passing of a resolution for a voluntary winding up in a creditors’ voluntary winding up;

• the making of a winding up order;

• the making of bankruptcy orders where individual members of a partnership present a joint bankruptcy petition;

• in relation to an unincorporated charity, the charity trustees becoming unable to pay their debts as they fall due;

• all members of a partnership being adjudged bankrupt; or

• a voluntary arrangement being approved under the Insolvency Act 1986 (“the 1986 Act”) or the Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (“the 1989 Order”).

In relation to a provider who is an individual registered in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, business failure consists of the individual being adjudged bankrupt or proposing or entering into an individual voluntary arrangement under Part 8 of the 1986 Act or Part 8 of the 1989 Order.

Under the Act, the temporary duties are triggered where a registered provider becomes unable to carry on a regulated activity or to carry on an establishment or agency because of business failure. Regulation 2(1)(b) provides that a provider is to be treated as unable to carry on a regulated activity or to carry on or manage an establishment or agency because of business failure if the provider’s inability to do so follows business failure.

A separate impact assessment has not been prepared for these Regulations. These Regulations are part of a package of legislative measures and the relevant impact assessment can be requested via [e-mail] or Department of Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NS and is available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-of-health.