WIREDGOV

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responded to new analysis by Age UK, which found that council tax would need to increase by another 10 per cent next year to allow social care just to ‘stand still’ 

“Social care was facing an uncertain future even before the pandemic, which has exposed and exacerbated some fundamental weaknesses in how we continue to pay for and provide care and support. 

“Council tax increases, including the social care precept, have always been a sticking plaster solution to a complex funding problem and should not be relied upon further. 

“Increasing council tax to pay for social care is a double whammy for hard-pressed residents, who may feel they are shelling out twice for a service now that the Health and Social Care Levy is being introduced. 

“The Government’s social care plan has some potential promise on how care is paid for and the contributions people themselves make, but the Spending Review should provide upfront, desperately needed new funding to meet immediate demands and pressures in our care system, so that people can live the lives they want to lead.”

New analysis finds Council Tax would have to rise by an average 10% next year to allow social care just to ‘stand still’