More than 100 organisations call on Government to work with adult social care sector to “mitigate the pressures” on councils, providers and charities

A group of more than 100 organisations has issued a joint statement to the Government, calling on it to work with the adult social care sector to “mitigate the pressures” on councils, providers and charities.

The organisations warned that while the recent Budget provided “welcome” additional funding for local government, its announced changes to employer National Insurance contributions (ENICs) have created “significant” new cost pressures, which “exacerbate the risk of adult social care not being the best it can be”.

The Local Government Association (LGA) estimated that ENICs changes have created £1.77 billion in additional costs for councils; £637 million for directly employed staff and £1.13 billion through indirect costs via commissioned providers, including £628 million for adult social care alone.

The organisations warned: “The scope for savings and efficiencies is now extremely limited and current funding is insufficient to cover the above pressures, let alone make progress with some of the serious challenges the social care sector is grappling with. Without significant new funding, the coming months will likely be the most difficult we’ve seen in recent years.”

Urging the Government to see funding for adult social care as “an investment rather than a cost”, the organisations called on the Treasury to work with the care and support sector to either find a way to mitigate the pressures on councils, providers and charities, or use this month’s Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement “to inject significant new funding into local government so that councils can meet them”.

The organisations concluded: “Looking further ahead, as organisations spanning the breadth of the adult social care and support sector, we stand ready to work with the Government, and on a cross-party basis, as equal partners, to bring about the longer-term changes that are needed to build a care and support system that enables everyone to live the life they want to lead.

“Collaborating with the Government to ensure a secure and sustainable future for adult social care is an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact.”

Signatories included Cllr Louise Gittins, Chair of the LGA, Melanie Williams, President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and Cllr Martin Tett, Spokesperson for Adult Social Care at County Councils Network (CCN).

Lottie Winson