Johnson Admits £6bn Black Hole In Funding Of Care For Older People
A looming £6bn black hole in the funding of social care for older people in England was acknowledged last night by Alan Johnson, the health secretary.
He said the cost of maintaining the current, often inadequate level of personal care services was set to double to more than £24bn in 2026 as a result of rapid growth in the number of frail older people. Without new sources of funding, the government expects “a £6bn funding gap for social care” to emerge within 20 years.
Johnson will today launch a six-month public consultation on how individuals, families and taxpayers might be expected to share the costs of providing a satisfactory service.
The problem is understood to be regarded in Whitehall as possibly the most serious challenge to public services over the next 20 years, during which the number of people over 85 is likely to double and the cost of disability benefits is expected to increase by 50%.
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