Budget: Chancellor urged to extend emergency funding for social care

Age UK is calling on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to extend emergency funding for social care in his forthcoming Budget so 'millions' of older people and carers are not “left high and dry”.

Age UK says social care was already struggling before the virus arrived and is in no position to meet this increased demand. As a result, it is imperative, the chancellor continues social care’s extra pandemic funding in his budget, otherwise millions of older people who have already endured so much will face further suffering in the months to come.

According to Age UK’s new analysis, it shows 10 per cent of older people aged 60+ say they now find it harder to look after themselves since the start of the first lockdown, this is the equivalent to over one and a half million older people overall.

Forty per cent of carers aged 60+ say they are providing more care since the start of the pandemic, equivalent to more than 900,000 older carers overall.

'If he fails to do so he will simply be heaping more pressure onto the NHS'

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK said: “The pandemic has intensified many older people’s need for care but after the battering it has received, social care itself is effectively broke and in no position to respond. That’s why it is essential the chancellor extends the emergency funding for social care in his Budget, so older people are not left high and dry.

“This emergency situation is far from over so far as social care is concerned and it will take at least a year, more likely two, before providers can stabilise their finances. Therefore, just as with some other sectors, the government must give social care the continuing financial support it desperately needs.”

The charity also warns if there is no immediate funding in the chancellor's Budget on Wednesday, he will be "heaping more pressure onto the NHS".

Ms Abrahams added: “The Prime Minister has recently said he will bring forward proposals for the long-term reform of social care later this year and Age UK will certainly be holding him to his pledge. However, in the meantime, we have to keep social care going and that’s where the chancellor must come in with more immediate funding in his Budget.

“If he fails to do so he will simply be heaping more pressure onto the NHS at a time when it needs to focus all its energy on recovery and bringing down waiting lists for treatment. Hospital beds filled with older people who are medically fit to leave but who are marooned by the lack of care in the community is the last thing the NHS needs.”

Age UK is calling for Rishi Sunak to extend the infection control fund, commitment of free provision of PPE for adult social care and the workforce capacity fund to help fill gaps in care staffing until the end of the calendar year.