LGA Responds to Healthwatch England Report on Social Care and Carers

Responding to Healthwatch England’s report into Social Care and carers, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

“With people living longer, increases in costs and decreases in funding, adult social care is at breaking point.

“Over recent years, councils have protected adult social care relative to other services.

But the scale of the overall funding picture for local government means adult social care services still face a £3.5 billion funding gap by 2025, just to maintain existing standards. The likely consequences of this are more and more people being unable to get quality and reliable care and support, which enables them to live the lives they want to lead.

“Unpaid carers are the backbone of the care system, many of whom are unable to take a break, putting their own health on the line. Without these unsung heroes the system would collapse.

“More people are caring for a loved one than ever before and councils remain committed to helping carers, but significantly reduced funding is making this difficult and jeopardising the positive ambition and intent of the Care Act.

“Action is needed, which is why, following government’s decision to delay its green paper on adult social care, the Local Government Association has published its own green paper consultation to drive forward the public debate on what sort of care and support we need to improve people’s wellbeing and independence, the need to focus on prevention work, and, crucially, how we fund these vital services. As well as this, it is imperative that the Government uses its upcoming Budget to inject desperately needed funding into adult social to ensure its immediate sustainability.”