POOR AREAS HARDEST HIT BY CARE BED CUTS

44% fewer places in poor areas... but 70% more in wealthier parts

ALARMING new figures show how the crisis in social care is hitting poorer areas the hardest – as some affluent areas get more provision.

Analysis by the Sunday Mirror shows less well-off parts of the UK lost almost 44% of their care home beds since 2015.

But some areas have had a 70% increase. The cruel imbalance results in the people who most need help suffering more than anyone.

Since 2015 the poorest 10% of constituencies lost an average 9% of social care beds.

The figures are reversed for the richest 10% of constituencies – where there was a 9% increase.

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, who backs the Sunday Mirror’s Stop The Care Crisis campaign, is an unpaid carer for his disabled son.

He said: “This is a crucial campaign by the Sunday Mirror and the Liberal Democrats are proud to support it.

“Carers deserve more pay and more respect. We need to make it easier for carers to come into our country and help look after our loved ones.

“These shocking figures show that after two gruelling years, our carers are struggling more than ever.”

Last week it was revealed the number of care homes in England has fallen 1,700 since 2015 – with a loss of 5,110 beds overall. London and the North West are hit the hardest.

Walthamstow, in East London, fared worst, losing 43.8% of beds and forcing some elderly people to move far from their family to be housed. Mid

Bedfordshire did best, with an increase of 70.4%. Jayne Connery, from Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, said: “When we support people towards the South West they get far greater support, while in the North West they struggle more. It’s not a fair outcome.

“Simply, we need a government that actually prioritises elderly social care.”

Stella Creasey, Walthamstow’s Labour MP, blames lack of government support.

She said: “The current underfunded system means many people are forced to go without care or are given no choice but to leave the area they have lived in for years to find a suitable care home. This is yet another damning indictment of Boris Johnson and his out-of-touch crony ministers.”

In Cumbria’s Penrith constituency – where 39% of social care beds have been lost – a 28-place home closed last month due to staff shortages.

Sharon Baxter, from domestic care provider Cumbria Quality Care, said: “It takes far too long to be offered a bed in a care home. When they do get offered one, they’re often out of county.

“We had a lady who needed a bed but the only one she was offered was in Preston – 70 miles away.”

Sharon blames poor funding from councils.

She added: “They need to pay us more per hour for the care that we do so that we can then pay staff a higher rate. My son is paid more in Morrisons petrol station.

“Carers get less than working the till at Aldi or cleaning. They could build more care homes but would struggle to staff them because of low pay.”

WAITING Shortages hit elderly