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LGA responds to CLG committee report on social care
Cllr Izzi Seccombe responds to a report by CLG Committee that government must commit to closing the social care funding gap in the Budget and a long-term review.
"We are delighted that MPs have backed our call for councils to be urgently given new money to plug the funding gap in social care, as well as the need for a long-term review that finds a sustainable solution to the social care crisis.
"The case for new funding is more overwhelming than ever, with the services which provide care for elderly and disabled people on the brink of collapse.
"We have been clear all along that with social care facing a funding gap of £2.6 billion by 2020, it is vital government properly funds these services if we are to ensure people can enjoy dignified, healthy and independent lives in the community, and reduce pressures on the NHS.
"Adult social care has to be more than just helping people to get washed and dressed. We need to be able to support our loved ones to live their lives to the fullest, and not just get by.
"As the Committee's report recognises, councils have managed huge financial pressures and done all they can to protect adult social care. But there is now little room left to manoeuvre, and councils face a growing demand for care and support.
"The short-term fixes announced by government, such as raising council tax to pay for social care, are not enough, and merely paper over the cracks in the system.
"The Committee also echoes our call for an urgent review to find a long-term sustainable solution. However local government leaders, who are responsible for social care in their local communities, must be part of that review if we are to find a solution to the social care crisis that the most vulnerable people in our society deserve."
