The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, delivered his Spring Statement earlier today. Whilst announcing that the economy has grown every year since 2010, his speech failed to install any hope into the care sector.
There were calls from his own party, alongside Labour, to use the extra cash from tax receipts to ease pressure on cash-strapped councils and social care. But the Chancellor ignored these calls, and instead focused on poking fun at his critics. The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) addressed Mr Hammond’s failure to mention the ongoing crisis in social care funding and ignoring the call for some short-term financial support for the sector.
Jan Shortt, NPC general secretary said:
“Another statement from the Chancellor and another opportunity missed to address the terrible crisis in our social care system.
“The fact that he remained silent on the issue actually speaks volumes and proves the Government has no real idea of what to do.
“In the meantime, 1.2m older people are no longer getting the help they need, over 40,000 homes are sold every year to pay for care and all the Government can offer is more consultation in the summer.
“In the last twenty years there have been at least two dozen different reports into the social care sector, and all of them accept that there is a problem. The key is to be bold enough to do something about it, and today the Chancellor has let Britain’s older population down.”
But how long will it be until social care is brought to the forefront and given the attention it so desperately needs? Only time will tell.
