According to research by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass), local authorities in England plan to make £824m of savings in their social care budgets in 2017-18. This follows a £1bn cash injection announced in the Budget which ministers said would relieve financial pressures and deterioration in services. ADASS have said rising demand meant cuts were inevitable given the current funding levels.
As a result, the elderly and disabled in England are being told to expect cuts to care services and rises in charges.
Mark Atkinson, of disability charity Scope, said cuts to services had a terrible impact on the vulnerable as it meant they “do not receive the care they need to do the basics in life such as getting washed, dressed and leaving the house”.
And Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, also predicted the difficulties in the social care sector would have a knock-on impact on the NHS, which relies on care services to get the frail out of hospital.
