Sense Responds To HSCIC Study Which Highlights Falling Investment In Social Care

National deafblind charity Sense has today (16 September) responded to a study from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) which states the amount spent on adult social care in England is falling.

The report states that spending by councils has fallen from £17.2 billion in 2013/14 to £17.1 billion in 2014/15, representing a 3% drop in real terms. It also reveals that over the five-year period from 2009/10, total spending on adult social care has fallen 8% in real terms.

Sue Brown, Head of Public Policy at Sense said:

“The findings further highlight the unsustainable financial pressure on adult social care which means an increasing number of people in desperate need of support are going without.

“Inadequate social care has a knock on effect and results in further demands on the NHS. For example, the people we support with dual sensory loss can become more susceptible to falls or require hospital treatment because they didn’t get the support they needed from social care.

“We need a stronger settlement for social care. Local authorities cannot go on meeting increased demand with less money, the Government must release enough funds to provide the right level of support to everyone that needs it.”