Responding to the reports from the LGA that council tax rises in
2019/20 will not bring in enough money to prevent the need for
further cutbacks to adult social care, Liberal Democrat Health
Spokesperson Judith Jolly said:
“The current way the Tories are running the care system is
unsustainable. As it becomes more and more difficult for people
in the UK to get the help they need, it becomes clear something
needs to change, and it needs to happen now.
“For months the Liberal Democrats have been calling on the
Conservative Government to publish the Social Care Green Paper so
that we can begin to address this crisis. But instead the Tories
have delayed and delayed this since the summer of 2017 as they
fail to address the ballooning funding gap for adult social
care.
“The Liberal Democrats are ready and willing to challenge the
problem in social care. We will transform the care older people
receive and reduce the inequality in provision. We will put a
penny in the pound on income tax to directly invest in social
care as a first step to address the funding problems.”
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The LGA has estimated that even if all councils used their
council tax flexibilities to the maximum allowed, adult social
care services still face a funding gap of at least £1 billion in
2019/20, just to maintain existing standards of care. This will
rise to £3.6 billion by 2025.
