THE Government must take the blame for the crisis in adult social care, according to MP Helen Jones.
Speaking at question time in the House of Commons the Warrington North MP said the Local Government Finance Act 2012 divorced local government funding from any assessment of need.
She told minister, Rishi Sunak that the problem could not be resolved by telling councils that they could raise council tax.
She said:“ Councils in wealthier areas, which have more properties in the higher bands can raise more money than those with more properties in the lower bands, which usually have the greatest need.”
Afterwards, Ms Jones said: “ The government has created a dysfunctional system in which the wealthiest councils can raise more money from the same rise in council tax than the poorest authorities yet poorer authorities have higher levels of long-term disease and disability. At the same time councils in the poorest areas have seen the greatest cuts to their funding.
“It is not good enough for the minister to say that the government will reform the system so that it can adequately take account of need.
“They were warned when the 2012 Act was passed that what they were doing would lead to a crisis in adult social care but they ignored that warning. They need to take responsibility and admit their mistakes.”
MP Helen Jones
“Government to blame for social care crisis” – MP
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4 Comments
The public are to blame for the social care crisis because the current generation do not want to care for elderly or sick relatives as previous generations did
There is an element of truth in want you say its somebody else’s problem like everything else and the concept that the state will look after the old dears. How times have changed?
In previous generations unmarried daughters and unemployed wives were expected to care for elderly relatives. Now more women are working and finding time to care is very hard. We need to extend flexible working to all employees, male and female, young and old, so that anyone with caring responsibilities can actually do some caring. At the moment a lot of flexible working is aimed at parents with young children. As someone whose children are grown, I now find I need time off to look after my elderly mother – not so easy to get the time off.
Solution: A couple examines their own situation and one of them gives up work if necessary. Make do with one car instead of two. Spend less on holidays and other luxuries. It can be done if there is a will. Of course there will always be some people who need caring for by the State – but things have gone too far.
As for flexible working – not all employers can afford to be flexible. Not all jobs are flexible. Forget it!