Research and analysis

Evaluation of the Accelerating Reform Fund

An evaluation of the Accelerating Reform Fund, which aimed to address barriers to adult social care innovation and improve support for unpaid carers in England.

• From: Department of Health and Social Care
• Published: 11 December 2025

Applies to England

Documents

Evaluation of the Accelerating Reform Fund: summary report

HTML

Evaluation of the Accelerating Reform Fund: main report

PDF, 1.8 MB, 150 pages

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Accelerating Reform Fund: local impact assessment synthesis report

PDF, 565 KB, 39 pages

Accelerating Reform Fund: case studies

PDF, 341 KB, 54 pages

Details

The Department of Health and Social Care commissioned Ipsos UK to conduct an evaluation of the Accelerating Reform Fund (ARF) and the Social Care Institute for Excellence’s (SCIE) associated support offer. 

Process elements of the report focus on the national evaluation of the fund, and impact elements focus on impact measurement at a local system level. The evaluation took a mixed-methods approach including:

• scoping research and evaluation co-design
• surveys and interviews with various stakeholder groups
• reviews of supplementary evidence and management information  

The core evaluation questions were: 

• has the ARF supported local areas to create the conditions for the embedding and scaling of innovations in adult social care? 
• has the ARF and/or SCIE’s support offer helped local areas to overcome barriers and embed and scale innovation in adult social care? 
• what are the impacts of embedding and scaling innovative approaches to delivering care and supporting unpaid carers?

Published 11 December 2025