Andy Burnham urged to end social care crisis with council tax changes | Politics | News
Council leaders have warned Andy Burnham that a £7bn deficit will make social care waiting lists even longer, with a call for better funding. A new analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) has found costs will rise over the next three years as demand increases for services that authorities are required by law to provide, including homeless assistance and school transport for students with special needs. The LGA said authorities were also facing extra costs due to new recycling rules imposed by the Labor government.
As a result, the financing of the “black hole” will be £7bn by 2028/29; This figure is more than the authorities spend on roads, transport and housing combined. Ahead of next week’s Annual Conference in Bournemouth, the LGA said this risks leading to residents waiting longer for adult social care assessments, increased homelessness and cuts to neighborhood services such as road maintenance, libraries, parks and waste collection.
The LGA is calling on the next Prime Minister to announce a cross-party review of council tax to find a new way to fund local government. Mr Burnham is expected to appear at Number 10 on July 20.
LGA President Louise Gittins said: “The cost and demand pressures facing councils are relentless. In just three years councils will need around 25 per cent more money to stay put. Without action, the services people rely on every day, from socially safe streets to safe streets, will be eroded.”
“Whoever gets the keys to Number 10 will have many competing priorities. But fully funded, sustainable public services will need to be at the heart of any plan to improve lives and instil hope for the future.”
Last year, 900,000 people across the country had their social care claims rejected and 40,000 older people each year are forced to sell their homes to cover the astronomical costs of residential care.
The LGA’s Annual Conference takes place in Bournemouth next week and speakers include Housing Secretary Steve Reed, Shadow Housing Secretary James Cleverly, Reform UK Education leader Suella Braverman and Green Party Leader Zack Polanski.
More people will be forced to raid their life savings to pay for social care after the Department of Health announced a freeze on the level of assets people are allowed to have before they stop receiving unpaid care. The lower “capital limit” under which people contribute to social care based on their means will remain at £14,250. The cap will be £23,250 when people have to pay for all their care themselves.
Freezing this amount means cuts in real terms, rather than increasing it in line with inflation, and will mean increasing numbers of older people will have to pay.
Threshold values include the value of a person’s home if they are permanently in a care home and the property is not occupied by their partner, a relative over the age of 60 or a child. In this case, they may have to sell their homes to cover maintenance costs.
