LGA Responds To Age UK Report On Care Funding Comparison

Responding to a report by Age UK on how long-term care funding in England compares to systems in Italy, Spain, France, Germany and Japan, Cllr James Jamieson, Vice Chairman of the Local Government Association, said:

“This report helps to stimulate the public debate we are leading on how to provide a long-term solution to funding adult social care to rescue a system in crisis.

“Adult social care is at breaking point due to years of underfunding, rising demand and costs for care and support.

“Council taxpayers cannot bear the costs of solving this crisis on their own. There is a pressing need to bridge a £3.5 billion funding gap facing adult social care by 2025 just to maintain existing standards of care.

“Action is needed, which is why, following the Government’s postponement of its long-awaited green paper on adult social care, the LGA has published its own green paper to drive forward the public debate on what sort of care and support we need to improve people’s wellbeing and independence and, crucially, how we fund these vital services.