FOLLOWING the Queen’s Speech, the Government has yet again put the reform of adult social care into the “too difficult” pile. Covid-19 has highlighted the longstanding challenges faced by older people in the social care system, and we are likely to see their lives get worse at a time when demand for care will rise. Even before the pandemic many older people were not getting the support they need to maintain their independence, social connections and quality of life but the challenges facing people ageing without children are particularly acute: • There are 1.5 million people over 65 in the UK without adult children