The government has unveiled the membership of a commission which will investigate reform of funding for long-term adult care, affecting residential support worker jobs and many other social care jobs across the UK.

The Guardian reports that the commission will be headed by Andrew Dilnot, the former head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies. The remaining two members will be Dame Jo Williams - chair of the Care Quality Commission, which regulates qualifications for social work jobs - and Lord Warner, a Labour peer, former health minister and the director of social services in Kent.

The commission has been tasked to produce a system for England and Wales that will be able to cope with an expected increase of 1.7 million people with care needs over the next 20 years. A large factor in this growth is that the number of people aged 85 or over is expected to double by 2026.

It has been told that it must consider "a range of funding ideas" for adult care, "including both voluntary insurance and partnership schemes". However The Guardian reports that one type of funding, compulsory insurance, will likely be considered unacceptable following the Conservatives campaign against Labour's previous proposal for a national care service.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said that the commission's recommendations must reflect principles of choice and fairness, as well as reflecting value for money and offering a sustainable option in the context of an ageing population. He said that it was key that the recommendations "be consistent with the government's deficit reduction plan."