Support package for councils announced
Released On 16th Feb 2024
Councils across England will receive a £600m support package to help them deliver key services, the Levelling Up Secretary has announced. The support package will primarily see an additional £500m added to the Social Care Grant to bolster social care budgets.
In response to the announcement, Cathie Williams, joint Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), said, 'This additional funding for social care is much needed and will be welcomed by people using and working in care and support.
'But given the well documented pressures on council finances and adult social care budgets, more still needs to be done to help people stay independent at home for longer, support unpaid carers and address workforce challenges, or we risk denying people the care and support they need to live well.
'We need to move from treating the symptoms to addressing the cause of the challenges we see in adult social care, like long waiting times and people missing out on care altogether. We look forward to working with Government to develop a long-term, fully-funded plan for adult social care that focuses on enabling people to live as healthily as possible, for as long as possible.'
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said, 'This injection of funding is a welcome recognition of the challenges faced by local authorities and care providers alike. However, the Government must move away from short-term sticking plasters and towards strategic allocations of money that will truly benefit the sector.
'Against the backdrop of the rises in the National Living Wage, rising utility costs, and the gap from the Fair Cost of Care being largely unaddressed, this new money in isolation runs the risk of being another short-term solution of money in the face of a problem that needs long-term funding to resolve.'
Cllr Shaun Davies, Chair of the Local Government Association (LGA), said, 'The LGA welcomes that the Government has acted on the concerns we have raised and recognised the severe financial pressures facing councils, particularly in providing services to the most vulnerable children and adults through social care services and delivering core front-line services to communities.
'We will continue to work with Government to achieve a sustainable long term funding settlement and updated distribution mechanisms, as well as legislative reform where needed, so that local government can play its full part in delivering inclusive prosperity and growth through investment to support people, places, and the planet.'
Karolina Gerlich, Chief Executive Officer of The Care Workers’ Charity, said, 'While acknowledging the Government's immediate response to the challenges faced by councils, The Care Workers' Charity continues to stress the importance of a sustained and comprehensive approach to secure the future of social care and ensure the wellbeing of care workers and the individuals they support.
'The Care Workers’ Charity remains committed to collaborating with stakeholders to achieve lasting solutions that safeguard the interests of care workers and uphold the standard of care in our communities.'
Homecare Association Chief Executive Officer, Dr Jane Townson OBE, said, 'We welcome news of an extra £500m from central Government to councils to support social care and other key services, though this goes only some way to plugging the £4bn gap in council finances.
'Care providers remain worried that councils will struggle to increase fee rates for care enough to cover the 9.8% increase in the national minimum wage to £11.44 per hour in April.
To save money, some councils are driving down prices for homecare, which are already too low, and we fear this is creating the conditions for unscrupulous providers to prevail, leading to a decline in care quality and an increase in labour abuse and modern slavery.
'We continue to call on the Government to invest adequately in homecare and community-based support to improve quality of life; extend life expectancy; reduce inequalities; alleviate the burden on the NHS; and decrease healthcare costs.'
