ConDem cuts threaten social care
08.11.10 - Helen Symons
A new survey of local authorities has shown that over half believe that cuts will impact directly on care services that help the elderly and people with disabilities to live in their own homes.
According to responses to a BBC local radio survey, 46 out of 87 responding councils said that they were concerned about their ability to fund care services in the future.
The Tories claim to have invested in social care, diverting £2 billion of the NHS budget (that they say they have protected) into care services. However, one third of the councils responding to this survey said there will be no real terms increase in their social care spend next year.
Michelle Mitchell, of Charity Age UK, said:
"Even seemingly modest cuts could see a quarter of a million older people lose the essential home-based care and support they rely on. It's down to each local authority to protect the most vulnerable and frail in their community by promising to preserve local care funding and spend every penny of the £2 billion earmarked by the Treasury on social care."
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