This week I spoke in the Queen’s Speech debate calling for urgent reform of our broken social care system, which has been failed by the Tories for a decade. In Dulwich and West Norwood, and across the country, far too many families are being failed because the social care system is stretched to breaking point.
Across the country Tory cuts mean that many councils, including Tory-run councils like Somerset, are struggling with stretched budgets and facing difficult daily decisions to cut care packages or to raise the threshold to qualify for support. The consequences are heartbreaking, with a million people who are eligible for care are not receiving any support.
With an ageing population and increasing demand for social care for working age adults this crisis will only grow. The Local Government Association estimates that the shortfall between funding and need will be £1.5 billion in 2019/20. This will grow to a staggering £3.5 billion by 2024/25.
There is an urgent need for reform and the Government must build upon the extensive cross-party work that has already been done and bring forward detailed proposals without further delay. We need action, not more excuses.