WGPlus (Archive)

The NHS is not the only ‘care service’ with a funding ‘Black Hole’

Services for elderly & disabled residents are in danger of spiralling into crisis after new analysis reveals a £4.3bn funding black hole by the end of this decade, social care experts are warning.  The Local Government Association (LGA) and others, have joined together to highlight that these alarming figures are almost a third of current annual adult social care spending, showing councils as the most stretched part of the health & social care system.

The shortfall is set to be caused by a combination of reduced government funding and rising demand on services, in particular from the country's rapidly ageing population.  Over the last year alone, councils were forced to divert £900m funding from other budgets to simply maintain the current level of service, despite making efficiency savings and receiving additional money from the 2010 spending round.  By 2020, councils will have to find £4.3bn just to manage care services at the current levels.

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