Part 6: Miscellaneous Social Care: Regulation and Financial Assistance Section 167: Provision of social care services: financial assistance
This Section amends sections 149 to 153 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 ("the 2008 Act").
	This section inserts new subsections (1A) and (1B) to section 149. These provisions set out a new power for the Secretary of State to provide financial assistance to any bodies engaged in the provision of social care services, or the provision of services connected with those social care services, if those social care services are provided in England.
	The section replaces section 153 of the 2008 Act, enabling the Secretary of State to direct certain bodies to exercise their functions to provide financial assistance to bodies engaged in providing social care and health services (or providing services connected with the provision of those services) under section 149(1) and new section 149(1A).
	The new section 153(3) also allows the Secretary of State to direct either a National Health Service trust or a Special Health Authority to exercise the power in section 149(2) to establish a qualifying body.
	Section 153(5) also allows the Secretary of State to issue directions to those using the power on his behalf about how exactly to conduct their exercise of these functions.
	The section also adds the new subsection (1A) to section 154. This allows the Secretary of State to make an arrangement with any third party other than a Special Health Authority for the powers under new section 149(1A) to be exercised on their behalf.