Comment on the BUPA 'Who Cares' report

Commenting on the BUPA ‘Who Cares' report, Andrew Harrop, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Age UK, said:

'We are increasingly worried at the mounting evidence across the country that the spending cuts are hitting social care budgets hard. This will have a devastating effect on vulnerable older people. Every local authority must spend the money that was put in the settlements grants for social care as intended and not use it to prop up the budgets in other areas.

'Underfunding on social care makes absolutely no financial sense. Failing to provide adequate support to help older people live safely and healthily creates costly and avoidable emergency hospital admissions.

'A hospital bed costs the NHS between £250 and £300 a day, whereas the average cost of residential care is just under £500 a week with nursing homes costing around £700 a week. The average cost of social care provided at home is around £200 a week.'

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Ref: FCSLAH

Notes to Editors

Age UK

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