Scope responds to ADASS research on social care crisis
8 May 2013
New research by ADASS (The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services) points to local authorities having cut 20% from social care budgets to date, with a further £800 million of cuts planned for the future. The President of ADASS Sandi Keene said "an already bleak outlook becomes even bleaker".
Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of disability charity Scope, responded to the new findings.
“We frequently hear horror stories of disabled people feeling isolated and living their lives without basic dignity because they don’t get the social care support they desperately need.
“Almost 40% of disabled people told us that their social care support did not meet basic needs including eating properly, washing, dressing or getting out of the house.
“Councils have been placed in the impossible position of having to provide support to growing numbers of people who need care, at a time when they are facing unprecedented cuts to their budgets.
“These latest findings from Adass paint a damning picture of the true scale of the social care crisis that is engulfing councils.
"It adds to the huge dossier of evidence that demonstrates the system is failing disabled and older people.
“The Care and Support Bill is a step in the right direction - but legislation alone cannot end this crisis because it does not go hand in hand with extra funding.
“If the Government genuinely wants to deliver a fit and proper social care system, it needs to ensure the Comprehensive Spending Review includes a clear settlement to tacking the chronic funding gap that exists today.”
Notes to the Editor:
In the summer of 2012, Scope spoke to over 600 disabled adults between the ages of 18-64 about their experiences of care and support in England.
- Over a third (36%) said they were unable to eat, wash or leave their homes due to underfunding
- 47% of disabled people said a lack of social care support prevented them from taking part in community life
- 34% said it prevented them from working or volunteering
- 53% of disabled people reporting significant anxiety, isolation and deteriorating mental health as a result of not getting the care they needed.
- Recent research has shown that there is a funding gap of over £2 billion in local care, leaving councils no other opportunity but to squeeze the support they are able to provide older and disabled people.
Recent research has shown that there is a funding gap of over £1.2 billion in local care for disabled people leaving councils no other opportunity but to squeeze the support they are able to provide.
A Joint Committee of both houses scrutinising the draft care and support bill has warned the Government’s plans will fail without a greater focus on prevention and integration. The Joint Committee goes as far as to say that they received significant evidence to suggest setting national eligibility at “substantial” was too high.
Councils have been warning that the funding crisis engulfing social care will "bring local government to its knees".
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