East Anglia campaigner says the government 'must get hold' of social care crisis
There's an estimated 'black-hole' of £2.4 billion
Last updated 6th Nov 2024
A disability rights and mental health campaigner in East Anglia is telling us the Government needs to get a hold of a worsening crisis in social care, to avoid added pressure being put on the NHS.
It's as a study from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has found that 8 in 10 councils in England are on course to bust their adult social care budgets by March.
The estimated 'black-hole' of £2.4 billion is said to created by ongoing and intensifying pressures" facing the sector.
"Really difficult decisions"
Mark Harrison is from 'Disabled People Against Cuts', which operatesacross Norfolk and Suffolk: "So people are being assessed as rightfully needing social care, a package is put in place, it's costed and they just can't afford it.
"That's because they're having to pay more for housing, food and social charges. It means that they're having to make really difficult decisions."
"All council adult social care budgets will be overspent"
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has warned that these conditions mean the Government's proposed National Care Service will struggle to succeed.
The charity say this bleak picture does not take account of further strain expected from the recently announced hike in employer national insurance contributions - which is due to take effect from April.
Voices within the sector warned, following Chancellor Rachel Reeves's Budget last week, that some care homes could be forced to close.
The 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'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 survey also found that more councils are being required to make in-year savings, with more than a third (35%) of councils being asked to do so, up from just under a fifth (19%) in 2022.
Adass said planned savings for the 2025/26 financial year are estimated to have risen to ££1.4 billion from just over £900 million.
The report warned: "In this context, it will be even harder for councils to make the investment needed in workforce, prevention and unpaid carers, all of which are crucial to improving health and social care in the longer-term."
Adass president Melanie Williams said while she welcomed Government commitments to multi-year funding settlements for councils, and a fair pay agreement for care workers, "what is clear is that in the short-term things are going to get worse before they get better".
She said: "In our Spring Survey we described the financial situation in adult social care to be 'as bad as it has been in recent history'.
"This report highlights the ongoing and intensifying pressures facing adult social care, which are also directly impacted by the broader challenges facing local government and the NHS."
She said the findings of the latest survey are "not the conditions for adult social care to thrive" and "not the conditions under which the new Government's proposed National Care Service can hope to succeed".
What's the Government said on this?
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".
Labour said in their manifesto that they'd will create a National Care Service, focussed on allowing people to live independently for as long as possible.
Norfolk County Council:
“With an ageing population with more complex needs, we continue to face growing demand and cost pressures in adult social services. We need sustained, fair funding to cope with these pressures and the new National Insurance increase that our private care providers now face.”