2024-12-19 11:45:19
Hft urges government action as social care faces £3 billion funding crisis
Hft, a national leader in the provision of support to learning disabled adults, has joined others in the sector in raising alarm at the under-resourcing of local government to pay for social care. The government’s changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions (ENICs) combined with the increasing National Living Wage (NLW) constitute billions of pounds of additional costs for the sector, exacerbating the current funding crisis.
Responding to the provisional Local Government Financial Settlement, Hft Deputy Director of Communications and Fundraising Kate McSweeney said:
“Long term, sustained funding for adult social care is critical for the quality of life of the learning disabled adults we support and to ensure we have the right workforce in place.
The £680m for the social care sector in the Chancellor’s October Budget could never cover the increase in National Living Wage and the changes to Employers National Insurance Contributions. Whilst the additional £200m announced this week in the Provisional Local Government Settlement for 2025/6 is welcome, it will still not come close to meeting the near £3bn costs the social care sector will need to find.
For care providers, this will mean deciding whether to cut services, staff, investment – or simply to shut up shop completely, placing the care of hundreds of thousands of people in jeopardy.
We join with our partners in calling on the government to work with the sector to put a solution in place before the Settlement becomes final.”
Notes to editors
For further information please email media.enquiries@hft.org.uk
About Hft
Proudly established in 1962 by a group of visionary parents, Hft is a charity supporting more than 2,500 learning disabled adults in England and Wales. Together, we are creating a future where learning disabled people and their families can live the best life possible.
Providing personalised support. Creating solutions for living independently. Coming together to campaign for positive change. Fundraising for new opportunities and a bigger impact.
In 2033, we’ll live in a world where learning disabled people have greater choice. About where they live. The support they need and want. And how to spend their time and money.
Learning disability versus difficulty
A learning disability is different from a learning difficulty but the terms are often confused and used inter-changeably. A learning difficulty does not affect general intellect, whereas a learning disability is a life-long condition characterised by a reduced intellectual ability and struggle with everyday activities.
–
For more information about Hft please visit www.hft.org.uk