Minister rejects ‘scare’ care claim

The care minister has rejected as scare-mongering claims from the Local Government Association that councils will end home help for older people.

Ahead of the annual meeting of council social service leaders this week, Paul Burstow challenged claims that services for vulernable people would be axed by councils because of the spending cuts.

He said: ‘It is wrong to scare people about “cuts” in social care. The spending review announced significant extra funding for social care for each of the next four years, increasing to an extra £2bn of investment in 2014/15.’

The LGA had warned that all councils will be forced to limit support to only those as having ‘critical’ needs due to a s £3bn shortfall in budgets.

Age UK supported the LGA with research predictibng councils would have to make a 7% cut in budgets.

Andrew Harrop, director of policy and public affairs for Age UK, explained the likely outcome: ‘Care would only be for those so fragile they are in a residential home.’

Councils in England and Wales have been tightening their assessments of support because of increased demands on services by the increasing older population.

Demand has not been matched by funding from central government despite the increase in numbers and the pressure has been increased by the spending cuts announced by chancellor George Osborne.

Adding to the anger is the fact that councils in Scotland have been able to guarantee free social care for older people.
But the government has consistently argued that money is available and provision can be guaranteed if councils run services more efficiently.

Councillor David Sparks, vice-chair of the LGA, said: ‘The LGA welcomed the £1bn to local authorities for adult social care, and the £1bn to the NHS in effect to help joint activities with local authorities, but given the demographic trend of the ageing population together with the cutbacks in public expenditure there will still be a shortfall in local government expenditure which will affect adult social care.’

Shadow health minister John Healey said: ‘This shows you cannot make big budget cuts without big consequences.’