Ministers ‘in denial’ over state of social care funding say MPs
This article was taken from: https://news.sky.com/story/ministers-in-denial-over-state-of-social-care-funding-say-mps-11629333
By Ali Fortescue, Sky reporter
The government says it is giving local councils access to billions of pounds more in funding to help pay for social care.
Ministers have been accused of being “in denial” over the “perilous” state of local government finances in England as councils struggle to maintain essential services like adult and children’s social care.
The Public Accounts Committee says the government is using short-term cash investments which won’t fix the long-term problem of funding social care.
The committee chair Meg Hillier said: “The government is in denial about the perilous state of local finances. It insists the sector is sustainable yet is unwilling or unable to back up this claim.
“Government needs to get real, listen fully to the concerns of local government and take a hard look at the real impact funding reductions have on local services. And then it needs to plan properly for the long term.”
Elaine Yates lives in Northamptonshire, a county council that was effectively bailed out by the government to save it from bankruptcy.
She has had to give up her job to become a full-time carer for her husband Michael.
His multiple health issues – including a brain injury, cancer and diabetes – mean he also needs support from professional carers which costs the family £100 a week.
Elaine said: “You are a second-class citizen, there’s no other word for it. You talk to the government but they’re not listening, they’re not taking note.
“There’s money going out for this, there’s money going out for that, all this money that’s being spent on Brexit, and I’m thinking ‘where is the social care?’
“I’m frightened, extremely frightened… I’m frightened of how we are going to cope looking after him on the budget we’ve got.”