West Midlands dementia support group says families cannot afford care alone
It comes as around 80% of the UK's councils claim they'll be in debt when it comes to adult social care
Eight in 10 councils in England are on course to bust their budget on adult social care by March, according to a survey said to show the "ongoing and intensifying pressures" facing the sector.
Such conditions do not provide the environment in which the new Government's proposed National Care Service "can hope to succeed", the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass) warned.
**"Being socially active and physically active really helps with dementia"**
BUDS, in Sandwell offers hot meals, trips and daily activities for Dementia patients in the West Midlands. Alongside respite for carers.
They say that Council debt could lead to cuts which would mean some could not afford to use their services.
"Being able to keep the brain active, being socially active and physically active really helps with the Dementia.
"Otherwise, they will become isolated at home. Which will lead to more hospital admissions," said Claire Mahmood, who works at BUDS.
**Some care homes across the country may be forced to close...**
Voices within the adult social care sector warned, following Chancellor Rachel Reeves's Budget last week, that some care homes could be forced to close.
Care England, which represents providers in adult social care, said the national insurance rise, combined with wage rises, will leave the sector with "an additional circa £2.4 billion funding hole to plug".
The latest Adass Autumn survey of directors of adult social services saw 131 of the 153 English councils with social care responsibilities respond pre-Budget, between September 12 and October 9.
Adass said 81% of councils which responded reported being on course to overspend their adult social care budget in the current financial year, up from 72% in 2023/24.
Overspend has continued to rise in recent years, up from 63% in 2022/23.
Adass's latest report stated: "Unless resolved, the trend indicates that within a couple of years, all council adult social care budgets will be overspent."
**The Government's offering £600 million to councils**
In the Budget, the Government announced £600 million for councils - expected to be split between both adult and children's social care - but Ms Williams added her voice to that of other providers, saying "in reality, the new money announced will end up getting used to cover employers' national insurance increases and wage increases amongst providers".
With the Adass survey estimating councils' total projected overspend in the year to March 2025 to be £564 million, the Nuffield Trust said the £600 million funding "likely won't even touch the sides".
The Government has been contacted for comment.