Osborne’s Budget announced today failed to address the deficit in social care funding. This comes in the wake of calls for additional funding by local authorities and social care providers for funding to plug the gap.
It is alleged that there will be a £4.3bn hole in funding for social care by 2020 and commentators feel that social care has been ignored in the most recent budget in its time of need. It would appear that whilst additional funding has been given to the NHS; however social care has failed to be treated in such a favourable light. The Local Government Association chairman Lord Porter said: –
“Councils have more than played their part in trying to balance the nation’s books in recent years and all councils will have to continue to find substantial savings from local services to plug funding gaps over the next four years.
Extra council tax powers and transitional funding will help some but won’t be enough to completely offset the full impact of funding pressures.
Pumping money into the NHS while councils receive less social care and public health funding is a false economy. A properly funded social care system is essential to alleviate the pressure on the NHS.”
Much was expected of Osborne in this Budget but the resounding feeling is that he has failed to deliver the extra funding needed to balance the books within social care. Demand is increasing for social care both within domiciliary and traditional care home settings but funding appears to be wanting.
