LGA responds to new research by Carers UK

4 Oct 2016 10:58 AM

Vice Chair of the LGA's Community Wellbeing Board, Cllr Linda Thomas, says the continuing underfunding of adult social care by government has limited councils' ability to provide support to vulnerable people and their carers.

"Unpaid carers play an invaluable role that saves the economy an estimated £132 billion a year. Without them, social care and the NHS would collapse.

"Supporting carers is fundamentally important to local government, and we fully backed the important changes brought in by the Care Act to improve the lives of carers, in particular the move to ensure that carers are recognised in law in the same way as those they care for.

"However, the continuing underfunding of adult social care by government has limited councils' ability to provide support to vulnerable people and their carers. Less than a third of councils say they are confident there is enough money to meet growing levels of need this year and beyond.

"Councils also don't want to see anyone go through the distressing experience of not being able to leave hospital in a safe and timely way and are doing all they can to avoid this ever happening.

"What is clear is that this is no longer just a winter pressure but is now a whole year challenge to ensure that the entire health and social care system is able to cope with the increased demand on the NHS.

"Getting people out of hospital more quickly and back living at home will only work properly if councils get enough resource throughout the whole year to fund adequate provision of care services."

View report: Pressure Points: carers and the NHS