Hft responds to the Spring 2021 Budget

In response to the Spring Budget announced today, Kirsty Matthews, Chief Executive of Hft, the national charity supporting adults with learning disabilities, said:

“It is highly disappointing that the government has failed to yet again offer any kind of additional financial support to social care in today’s Budget announcement. This is even more of a shock coming as it does at the end of an extraordinarily challenging year, which has seen social care staff working tirelessly on the frontline throughout the pandemic to support some of our most vulnerable adults in society.

“Today’s budget marks another missed opportunity to address the financial challenges the sector has been facing for many years, including the continued underfunding of increases to the National Living Wage which impacts on all providers’ ability to recruit and retain these key members of staff. We urge the government to take action now and recognise the efforts of a sector all too often considered an afterthought. There has never been a more appropriate time to address the needs of a beleaguered but vital social care sector, by bringing forward the long-term funding proposals which have been promised on so many occasions.”