Poll reveals public have ‘no confidence’ in social care system

JUST A quarter of people think they will receive the social service care they need in old age or if they suffer disability, according to new research published today.

A poll commissioned by 75 charities and voluntary organisations found that only 27 per cent of people in England believe there would be enough help available for themselves or a family member.

It concluded that concerns over care could prove crucial at the general election, with voters ranking the issue second only to health as a government spending priority.

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Asked about how the coalition is dealing with care, more than half of respondents – 55 per cent – said the Government should be doing more.

The Care and Support Alliance’s chairman, Richard Hawkes, said: “Care is well and truly an election issue. The message from the public is loud and unambiguous. It’s a real vote of no confidence.”

The YouGov poll of almost 4,700 people in England for the Care and Support Alliance found that a third of the population – 32 per cent – rely on the care system either for themselves or a close family member.

The findings come ahead of the publication next week of a report on the future shape of England’s care system. A panel of experts led by economist Kate Barker and backed by the King’s Fund health think tank will set out a blueprint for merging parts of the social care system with the NHS.

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