THE Government missed a vital opportunity to invest in social care, help older and vulnerable people and boost the economy, campaigners say.
Social care providers had hoped there might be some news in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s speech this morning about investment in the care of older and vulnerable adults.
But The Independent Care Group says the sector was left out in the cold again.
Chair Mike Padgham said: “The Government has missed a vital opportunity. Investment in social care helps those who need support and also provides a boost to the economy.
“The government has ignored that social care employs 1.6m people and contributes £68.1bn to the England economy – with the right investment it could employ and contribute even more.
“Care providers want to grow, invest and innovate, care for more people, employ more staff and help drive economic growth and aid the Government’s efforts to kick-start the economy.
“Instead, the sector continues to be left out in the cold and in crisis. Now 2m people cannot get the social care they need and that can mean others having to take time out of work to look after them, which is bad news for economic growth.”
He said successive governments had failed to see social care as a sector that should be invested in.
The ICG wants the Government to invest at least an extra £2bn into social care to tackle short-term issues, pay social care staff properly and in line with their NHS colleagues and get on with creating a National Care Service that brings NHS and social care together under one roof.