Matt Hancock, the health secretary, has dismissed reports that the social care green paper has been shelved due to Government plans for a no-deal Brexit.

The Times reported in December an unnamed minister saying that adult social care reform was a ‘likely casualty’ of the cabinet’s decision to speed up preparations across Whitehall for the possibility that the Government would fail to reach an agreement on Brexit with the European Union.

A tweet was published by Chris Ham, chief executive of the King’s Fund, which read: “So much for the so-called Brexit dividend. Essential social care reform apparently shelved with consequences for many families in need @TheKingsFund @MattHancock @RichardatKF.”

The tweet was paired with an image of a newspaper with the headline: ‘May ditches key pledges to prepare for no deal: social care reform threatened by Brexit turmoil.’

Mr Hancock responded and said: “Don’t recognise this at all. Putting finishing touches on the social care green paper ready for publication in the New Year.”

In November 2017, the Government said it planned to published the document in the summer 2018 but was delayed to the autumn and has now been delayed to the first opportunity in 2019.