Responding to an Age UK report on people who pay for their own care, including an increase in the number of people who have spent the majority of their savings and assets on care, Cllr Paulette Hamilton, Vice Chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“This report is an important and timely reminder of the urgent need for major reform of our social care system.
“People of all ages should be able to live the lives they want to lead and councils are doing all they can to protect social care services, despite the impact of the pandemic exacerbating the serious long-term funding and demand pressures facing adult social care.
“It is in everyone’s interest that people have access to good quality independent financial advice, information on which is provided by councils, so that they are able to manage and make the most of their finances and assets when it comes to paying for care.
“Coronavirus has raised the profile and value of social care in its own right and we have been calling for a sustainable funding settlement for adult social care, since long before the current crisis.
“Part of this solution needs to consider how best to address the recognised need for greater fairness in how care is paid for and funded. We look forward to when the cross-party talks on the future of social care finally begin.”
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