Fixing the crisis in social care

Government must act urgently

THE CRISIS in social care is one of the most pressing problems that Britain faces, and demands urgent action if a looming catastrophe in both funding and provision is to be avoided.

Its role in the lives of virtually every family in the country has only been underlined by the coronavirus pandemic, which has made it more apparent than ever that the system is struggling to cope with the demands placed upon it.

Today’s call by the Local Government Association for a comprehensive reset of social care is timely and should be heeded by the Government, which has been guilty of dragging its feet on setting out a detailed plan for the future, despite Boris Johnson’s public pledge that he was going to fix a broken system.

The report’s proposals for how this should be done are both sensible and practical. It also makes clear how imperative it is that the Government acts, for without massive extra investment, the social care system faces a funding gap of £4bn by 2025.

The intolerable financial pressures on the system are already being felt by councils, some of which are at risk of bankruptcy because social care accounts for a huge proportion of their budgets.

One of the worst flaws in the current system of provision is that the poorest areas are hit disproportionately hard by the costs of providing care.

The human costs must be at the forefront of Government thinking, as the LGA report makes clear. Those requiring care are the most vulnerable in society, whether because of age and frailty, neglect or disability, and they must not be let down by a system that is increasingly struggling to look after them.

Government dither and delay has to end. Fixing social care must be given the priority it deserves, and urgently.