SOCIAL CARE

SOCIAL care budgets across the country are facing an unprecedented strain.

A combination of the ageing population, increasingly complex care needs, cuts in funding to councils and increases in care costs is being blamed for the pressure on the services, which care for both the frail elderly and vulnerable such as those with severe disabilities.

Figures show that net current expenditure on adult social care in England increased by 3.5 per cent in cash terms but fell once the effects of inflation are taken into account.

The Local Government Association estimates that adult social care services will face a funding gap of £1billion by 2020.