Health Foundation social care report: Government’s “embrace of dither and delay” will see taxpayers “foot an ever growing bill”

EMBARGO: 00:01 Thursday 15th May 

Responding to a report from the Health Foundation, which showed that just preventing a further deterioration of social care will cost the government £9.1 bn by 2034/35, Liberal Democrat Care and Carers spokesperson, Alison Bennett MP said:

“These figures lay bare the cost of this Labour government’s embrace of dither and delay. Social care is on the brink of collapse and the taxpayer will continue to foot an ever growing bill for a system which fails far too many in their time of need.

"After years of Conservative mismanagement which left too many with nowhere to turn, the Government now has its head in the sand, putting this spiralling crisis in the too difficult pile.

“Enough is enough. The Government’s refusal to grasp the nettle is set to blow holes in already stretched local authority budgets and cause unnecessary suffering.

“Ministers need to wrap up their social care review by the end of the year and ensure it is implemented at real speed. Anything less will see these costs only balloon further and more people and their loved ones left without the support they deserve.”

ENDS