Local government finance settlement: 'a missed opportunity' to create a long-term strategy
Commenting on the council tax ‘social care precept’ announcement in the Local Government Finance Settlement: England 2017-2018, Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Independent Age, the older people’s charity said:
“This local government finance settlement represents a missed opportunity to set out a long-term strategy on sustainable social care funding. A 6% rise in council tax over two years, alongside a new support fund while welcome, will do little to paper over the cracks in the social care system. This mechanism for funding social care is neither sustainable nor equitable in the long-term, as the Treasury Select Committee highlighted earlier this year. The Government have listened but appear to have ignored views from across the sector that a long term funding solution must be found. We need the Government to convene cross-party talks and get on with tackling this crisis in social care, to make sure that frail elderly people can get the care and support they desperately need.”
