Social Care leaders call on the Government to end 25 years of inaction on funding

17 March 2021

The Care Provider Alliance, together with organisations speaking for more than 10 million people who have care and support needs, or are family carers or professionals who seek to meet those needs, are uniting in a joint call on ministers to break their silence on the future of social care.
 
The unprecedented alliance says that the coronavirus crisis has laid bare the fragilities of the social care system in England after 25 years of failure by successive governments to put it on a sustainable footing.

After the Chancellor said nothing about social care in his budget, there is now an urgent need for clarity about the way forward. We are calling on the government to:

• Make an immediate announcement of extended and increased funding from April to stabilise the care system and ensure continued provision of high-quality services and support, meet the continuing costs of Covid-19 and provide relief and respite for exhausted family carers and care workers.
• Commit to publication before the summer parliamentary recess of promised proposals to “fix the crisis in social care once and for all”, giving MPs the opportunity during the recess to hear from their constituents about the care and support they want for themselves and their families.

The alliance includes: Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Care and Support Alliance, Care Provider Alliance, Local Government Association, Social Care Institute for Excellence, Social Care Future and Think Local Act Personal.

Kathy Roberts, Chair of the Care Provider Alliance, said; 

"Emergency funding from the government has been a lifeline to our care and support sector.” 

 “However, as a result of COVID-19 the ongoing cost pressure are leaving many providers, their employees and the people we support balancing on a financial cliff edge.” 

 “The alliance demands that Treasury increase the funding available to the whole care sector, so that we can effectively deliver essential services, both now and beyond this pandemic."

Read the full joint press release on the ADASS website

Read the joint statement (PDF)

Note to Editors§

The Care Provider Alliance (CPA) brings together the 10 main national associations, which represent independent and voluntary adult social care providers in England.  We work to represent the sector and ensure a coordinated response to the major issues that affect it.

The CPA bring together the ten national associations, which represent private, voluntary and community sector providers. We speak for the whole of the adult social care sector including care homes, home care services, Shared Lives schemes and retirement communities.

CPA members cover almost 10,000 organisations, employ over 600,000 staff and support an estimated 1 million people.

For more information visit Care Provider Alliance – About us.

Media contact: Care Provider Alliance, info@careprovideralliance.org.uk