Efficiency savings will not fix care crisis

Wednesday, 22 August 2012

Responding to the Audit Commission’s report looking at value for money in adult social care, Cllr David Rogers, Chairman of the LGA's Community Wellbeing board, said:

“Councils are committed to doing the very best for people in later life and despite a 28 per cent funding cut from government, council spending on adult services this year is expected to fall by just 2.5 per cent, the lowest for any service area.

“Local government is the most efficient part of the public sector and councils are working hard to ensure every pound is being squeezed to offer the best value for money to the local taxpayer. The LGA has also undertaken a new programme to help councils make further efficiency savings in adult social care, which is this year set to save more than £50 million from adult social care costs.  

“However, it would be wrong to suggest that efficiency savings alone will solve the immediate and growing funding crisis we are facing in providing care to our rapidly aging population. The cost of social care already takes up more than 40 per cent of council budgets. Yet councils, who are already facing an estimated £1 billion reduction in social care budgets, and this year will have to find an additional £890 million, will see a further £2 billion added to the annual cost of adult social care in 2015 due to demographic pressures alone.

“Local government is playing its part and it’s now vital that government urgently addresses this widening gap. Gifts of extra cash here and there just paper over the ever-expanding cracks. Serious and real reform must include an honest appraisal of what a modern social care system costs and how it is to be funded.”