Majority of MPs support social care funding increase

A new survey has revealed that 84 per cent of MPs and 76 per cent of peers agree that funding for adult social care should increase.

Commissioned by the Local Government Association, the ComRes poll shows that there is far reaching cross-party support for additional funding for adult social care and the LGA is urging the government to act now before it is too late. Councils estimate that adult social care services face a £3.5 billion funding gap by 2025, with English councils receiving 1.8 million new requests for adult social care a year, equalling nearly 5,000 a day.

The poll is part of a nationwide consultation from the LGA to begin a much-needed debate on how to pay for adult social care and rescue the services caring for older and disabled people from collapse.

Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Councils, care workers, health professionals and now even MPs and peers agree that social care funding to councils must be increased. Work to find a long-term funding solution for adult social care and support has been kicked into the long grass by successive governments for the past two decades and has brought these services to breaking point.

“The government cannot duck this issue any longer. It must make genuinely new resources available urgently to plug the short-term funding gap of £3.5 billion as well as set out its plans to secure the longer-term future. The LGA’s green paper is the start of a nationwide public debate about the future of care for all adults, and how best to support their wellbeing, and we encourage as many people and organisations – including MPs and peers - to have their say on how we pay for it and the responsibilities of citizens, families and communities.”