Budget: Hammond ‘desperately short-sighted’ in not addressing social care problems

Failure to address problems in social care in the Budget could lead to more elderly people going without the care they need, a leading charity has warned.

Age UK criticised Chancellor Philip Hammond for being “desperately short-sighted” by not addressing problems in the care sector during his speech.

Charity director Caroline Abrahams said there are already more than a million elderly people in England who do not get the support they need.

Ms Abrahams said: “At Age UK we worry most of all about the millions of older people in our country in declining health, with a need for extra support, and on a low retirement income after a working life spent on low pay, many of whom live alone in poor quality housing that is hard to heat.

“Unfortunately there was little in this Budget to cheer older people like these.

“The extra funding for the NHS is welcome but we fear will do little more than slow down the decline in its ability to meet the needs of a growing older population as it only about half the amount the experts said was required.

“Meanwhile the Budget’s failure to acknowledge the enormous problems facing social care is desperately short-sighted and can only result in the numbers of older people going without the care they need, already disgracefully at more than a million in England, ratcheting up.

“Last week the Government announced it would publish a Green Paper on social care next summer but we fear for the state of social care by then.”

Meanwhile the Alzheimer’s Society said that even though Philip Hammond had pledged more money for the NHS, without additional funds for social care the Government was “filling up a bucket with holes in it”.

Jeremy Hughes, the charity’s chief executive, added: “The extra money for the NHS is hugely needed, but… they have ducked an opportunity today – to put into action their commitment to tackle dementia care head on. People with dementia will rightfully feel betrayed and abandoned.

“The absence of state support for vulnerable people with dementia is a travesty, and an embarrassment for our society.”

Dr Rhidian Hughes, chief executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group which represents 80 leading voluntary and charity social care disability provider organisations, said: “Continued failure to fund social care has consequences.

“It means that unmet need is rising with devastating effects on people who rely on care services.

“It means that local services continue to erode and the workforce will not receive the required investment in training and skills.

“It means that the Care Quality Commission’s warnings about the sustainability of provision are not being acted upon.

“It means that additional pressures will be put on the NHS.”

In his spring Budget, Mr Hammond pledged £2 billion over three years to help ease the pressure in the sector.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of the MS Society, added: “The fact there is no more money for social care is even more alarming, and provides nothing to prevent the current crisis from worsening.

“The system desperately needs money now. Already one in three people with MS are struggling without the proper care they need.”

Margaret Willcox, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said: “We are extremely disappointed that the Government has not addressed the need for extra funding for adult social care.

“This means that this winter and throughout next year we will continue to see more older and disabled people not getting the care and support – which they desperately need now.

“A lack of extra funding will also lead to an even greater toll being placed on the 6.5 million family members and other carers.

“By the end of this financial year, £6 billion will have been cut from councils’ adult social care budgets since 2010 – with need for our services growing all that time.”

She added: “The extra funding for the NHS will not be as effective without extra money for adult social care, which remains in a perilously fragile state.

“Adult social care needs to be tackled as urgently and at least as equally as the needs of the NHS, in a way which recognises the inter-dependency of these services and encourages a collaborative approach.”

Lord Porter, chairman of the Local Government Association, added: “It is hugely disappointing that the Budget offered nothing to ease the financial crisis facing local services.

“Funding gaps and rising demand for our adult social care and children’s services are threatening the vital services which care for our elderly and disabled, protect children and support families.

“This is also having a huge knock-on effect on other services our communities rely on. Almost 60p in every £1 that people pay in council tax could have to be spent caring for children and adults by 2020, leaving increasingly less to fund other services, like fixing potholes, cleaning streets and running leisure centres and libraries.

“Adult social care services are essential to keeping people out of hospital and living independent, dignified lives at home and in the community and alleviating the pressure on the NHS.

“Simply investing more money into the NHS while not addressing the funding crisis in adult social care is not going to help our joint efforts to prevent people having to go into hospital in the first place.”

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