Spending on social care for elderly ‘cut by £600m’

Research by Age UK suggested older people’s care budgets had been slashed by a “devastating” 8.4 per cent as the Government’s spending cuts bite.

The figures, which are disputed by the Government, were based on data obtained from councils under the Freedom of Information Act.

Some 139 out of 152 authorities responded to requests by Age UK, which calculated that net expenditure on older people’s social care was falling by £610m in 2011-12, compared with 2010-11.

The charity also found that at least 61 councils were increasing charges on provision of services like home help and day care centres.

The charity director at Age UK, Michelle Mitchell, said: “Funding for social care is already inadequate and the system today is failing many older people at the time when they really need help.

“The consequences of cutting expenditure further to 8.4 per cent, indicated by our research, could be devastating.

“We are fearful that even more vulnerable older people will be left to struggle alone and in some cases lives will be put at risk.”

Age UK’s research comes ahead of the eagerly anticipated findings of the Dilnot Commission, set up by the Government last year to come up with proposals for the future funding of social care.

Increasing life expectancy is creating a multi-billion-pound black hole in elderly care on which the political parties have so far failed to agree a solution. Reports yesterday suggested the review could propose that those who are better off could be expected to cover at least the first £35,000 of their care in old age.

Labour accused the Government of damaging elderly care by front-loading public spending cuts.

Barbara Keeley, Shadow Communities and Local Government Minister, said: “Tory Government cuts to council budgets went too far and too fast. We now have a crisis emerging in social care and Government budget cuts are making it worse.”