Age UK comment on cuts to social care

Age UK responds to the ADASS release on the £1.1 billion budget cuts to adult social care.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director for Age UK, said:

'The idea of a billion pounds coming out of social care budgets this year is chilling, given how patchy care quality already is. ADASS is not known for hyperbole so when they say further cuts would jeopardise the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable older people we should take that warning very seriously.

'The service is already pared to the bone with hundreds of thousands of older people with a social care need unable to get any help. We are also hearing of growing numbers of care workers voting with their feet and taking better paid jobs in supermarkets, leading to staff shortages.

'Unless Government acts to restore stability to social care funding there is now a real risk that provision could collapse in some places. That would be disastrous for older people and their families and pile further stress on our already hard pressed NHS.'

 
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Ref: CASLSK