Social care a ‘Downing Street crisis’

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has claimed that the lack of social care funding leaving elderly people isolated is a ‘crisis made in Downing Street’.

Clashing with Prime Minister Theresa May, who promised a ‘long-term, sustainable system’, Corbyn urged the Conservative leader to replace a corporation tax cut with cash to cover social care costs.

A much publicised funding crisis in services for the elderly and disabled, which remained absent in November’s Autumn Statement, has led to reports that councils will be offered extra tax rises to bring forward planned social care investment.

This means that the social care precept, currently capped at two per cent, could go up to either either three or four per cent over the next two years. A two per cent increase would raise an estimated £200 million - although such an increase has been labelled as ‘nonsense’ by Corbyn.

As during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) before the Autumn Statement, May maintained that the government was investing in social care through its Better Care Fund - but added that measures to tackle the ‘immediate pressures’ would be announced as part of the local government settlement.

The Local Government Association warned that the funding change would be insufficient for councils already facing significant pressure.