Urgent social care investment needed to meet demand – LGA on The King’s Fund report

Responding to the new report by The King’s Fund on demand for adult social care and pressures on the workforce, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board said:

“Councils have consistently said that £13 billion is needed for social care so that its many pressures can be addressed and councils can deliver on all of their statutory duties. Current funding, including that announced in the Autumn Statement falls far short of this number.

“We fully support the findings in this report on the crisis in the social care workforce, the sector remains under enormous strain, and is struggling to recruit and retain high quality staff. Of the funding needed for social care, £3 billion is needed to secure an uplift pay for social care staff.

“Councils and providers always strive to reflect, learn and improve, but it is becoming increasingly hard to fund even statutory services. We need to see urgent investment in adult social care that will ensure the best possible care for those that need it.”

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