Councils Respond To Launch Of Adult Social Care Inquiry

Responding to the launch of an inquiry by the CLG Committee into the financial sustainability of local authority social care, the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing spokeswoman, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, said:

“We are in real danger of a crisis in social care, with councils’, providers’ and carers’ ability to support our loved ones and ensure they live the dignified and independent life they deserve undermined by severe funding pressures.

“The growing demand of an ageing population, as well as the increasing costs following the introduction of the National Living Wage, are squeezing care home and domiciliary care providers to the point of collapse.

“On top of this, councils are starting from an unstable foundation, having had to close a £5 billion funding gap over the past five years.

“The importance of adult social care was acknowledged by the Government in its decision to allow councils to raise council tax by 2 per cent to pay for adult social care, although it is likely that for many authorities this won’t be sufficient to meet all the cost and demand pressures, particularly the cost of the National Living Wage.

“This is why the LGA is calling for the £700 million Better Care Fund money earmarked for the end of the decade to be brought forward to 2016/17 to help alleviate growing social care pressures.

“Adult social care needs to be properly funded by government, and we wholeheartedly support the CLG Committee’s decision to shine a light on this urgent issue.”