LGA responds to Which? research on care home choice

31 Oct 2017 09:57 AM

Cllr Linda Thomas, Vice Chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responds to Which? research on the choice of care homes.

“Councils are committed to ensuring that people have access to good quality care. But this is being put at risk by the severe funding pressures faced by social care services.

“An increasing number of care homes are closing and care providers are handing back their council contracts because of cost pressures. We have warned that £1.3 billion is needed right now just to stabilise the perilously fragile care provider market.

“Overall social care faces an annual funding gap of £2.3 billion by 2020. Unless social care is properly funded, the standard of care for elderly and vulnerable people is at risk.

“It is vital that the Government sets out in the Autumn Budget how it will address the immediate social care crisis and deliver long-lasting reform that meets the needs of adults of all ages needing social care.”

Report:  Lack of care home choice leaving families ‘settling’ for inadequate places