Leonard Cheshire calls for urgent Government funding following “devastating” social care report
Disability charity Leonard Cheshire has stated that there is now a “window of opportunity” for the UK Government to provide urgent funding solutions for social care after a report launched earlier this week revealed workforce shortages, rising demand and rising costs in the sector.
Care England and HfT’s 2023 Sector Pulse report revealed the devastating fallout from chronic underfunding by the government of social care, and want the Government to take action before the settlement is finalised as disabled and older people risking the year ahead without vital support.
Amy Little, Head of Advocacy at Leonard Cheshire, said: “Care England and HfT’s Sector Pulse Check report starkly reveals the devasting fallout from chronic underfunding by the government of social care.
“A perfect storm of workforce shortages, rising demand and rising costs, combined with years of delays to social care reform, are creating a chasm between social care demand and delivery. The chasm is set to widen further if the inadequate level of social care funding in this year’s local government finance settlement isn’t urgently rectified.
“Workforce-related cost pressures, driven by much-needed increases in the National Living Wage, are a key pressure for 81 per cent of social care providers. With funding not meeting rising costs, many more providers will have to close services or hand back contracts to local authorities.
“As the Sector Pulse Check report demonstrates, more than a third of adult social care providers are considering exiting the market.
“The impact of this on disabled individuals who rely on these services is vast, as providers face impossible choices in an unprecedented funding crisis where continuing to offer adequate support is simply untenable.
“Additional ringfenced funding in the local government settlement and a long-term funding solution are urgently needed before it’s too late. There is window of opportunity to act before the settlement is finalised in February.
“This should include at least £2bn to fund the increase in National Living Wage from April 2024. As our new briefing shows, failure to take action will leave disabled and older people without vital support in the year ahead.”
