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Responsibility for delivering social care sits with local authorities, but the policy and funding framework is set by central government.
For England overall, spending per head of the population on adult social care in 2018/19 was 8% below its level in 2010. And in the North East it was 16% below the level in 2010.
Within the North East, the biggest reductions in spending per head in 2018/19 relative to 2010/11 are South Tyneside (-29%) and County Durham (-27%), followed by Gateshead and Redcar & Cleveland (-21% for both). [See notes for data on other local authorities.]
Fixing social care for better services and a stronger recovery
In his first speech as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson promised to ‘fix the crisis in social care once and for all’. But he’s still not set out any plans.
Today’s TUC report, Fixing social care: better quality services and jobs, sets out why the UK does not have a high quality social care system, and how to improve it for those who use it, and those who work in it.
Social care in England has insufficient funding to meet demand, forcing councils to tighten eligibility and people to rely on informal care from family and friends. And it will be unable to meet future demand from a 49% increase in those aged 65+ by 2040.
Most care homes are run privately for profit. This directs public funds away from service users and squeezes pay and conditions for staff. Almost a quarter of social care staff have a zero-hours contract and 7 in 10 are paid less than £10 per hour. The sector has around 120,000 unfilled vacancies and an annual staff turnover rate of 31%.
The report calls for:
“When communities in the North East needed them, our social care workers stepped up. Care workers looked after older and disabled people in the midst of a pandemic, often without the right PPE, and often for low wages and no sick pay.
“Now it’s time to fix the broken system. Social care is badly underfunded. Pay and conditions for care workers are dreadful. And families can’t be sure of high-quality, affordable care when a family member needs it.
“As we face mass unemployment, ministers should act to unlock the 120,000 existing social care vacancies right now. And they should put investment in social care at the heart of our national recovery plan.
“Social care jobs should be decent jobs on fair pay, at the heart of every community in the North East. The TUC’s plan sets out how a full funding settlement for social care would work. Ministers can’t spend another decade hiding from the social care crisis.”
Notes to editors:
- New TUC report: The full report Fixing social care: better quality services and jobs is here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-09/SocialCareReport.pdf
- Change in social care expenditure in the North East by local authority, 2010/11 to 2018/19
North East Local authority |
Change in social care expenditure 2010/11 to 2018/19 |
|||
Spend £ thousands |
Spend % |
Spend per capita £ |
Spend per capita % |
|
South Tyneside |
-19,986 |
-28% |
-176 |
-29% |
County Durham |
-52,136 |
-25% |
-138 |
-27% |
Gateshead |
-19,320 |
-20% |
-130 |
-21% |
Redcar & Cleveland |
-12,527 |
-19% |
-124 |
-21% |
North Tyneside |
-14,829 |
-18% |
-103 |
-20% |
Newcastle upon Tyne |
-12,586 |
-10% |
-88 |
-16% |
Darlington |
-4,530 |
-12% |
-62 |
-13% |
Northumberland |
-9,148 |
-8% |
-47 |
-10% |
Sunderland |
-8,843 |
-9% |
-44 |
-10% |
Middlesborough |
-108 |
0% |
-8 |
-1% |
Stockton-on-Tees |
3,756 |
6% |
13 |
3% |
Hartlepool |
3,420 |
9% |
36 |
7% |
NE overall |
-146,838 |
-13.9% |
-£83 |
-16% |
- Methodology: Our figures for adult social care expenditure 2010-18 come from TUC analysis of spending reported by councils. The data used is provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (Local authority revenue expenditure and financing). We have included NHS cash transfers to local authority social care budgets through Valuing People Now in 2010/11 and the Better Care Fund in 2018/19. Spending figures for 2010/11 have been adjusted to 2018/19 prices based on CPI. A more detailed note on the methodology with links to source data can be provided by the TUC press office on request.
- Variation between local authorities: Variation in changes to social care spending across local authorities results from differences in distribution of cuts to council funding and access to ring-fenced funding sources; population changes; social care demand (the result of economic, social and demographic factors); and policy decisions and priorities.
- Cuts to local government funding: Social care funding fell year-on-year in real terms between 2011/12 and 2015/16, as a result of central government cuts to local government funding.
Previous research by the TUC found that councils in England had £7.8bn a year less to spend on key services in 2018/19, including social care, compared to 2010. Despite councils’ efforts to protect social care within overall budgets, they have been forced to pass cuts on to social care.
Adult social care spending in England started to rise again from 2016/17 due to a series of short-term, ring-fenced targeted funding boosts, including an improved Better Care Fund and extension of the social care precept.
However, today’s research shows that these additions have not been enough to restore funding to 2010 levels, let alone meet additional demand arising from an ageing population.
Details of the previously published TUC analysis showing that councils in England had £7.8bn a year less to spend on key services in 2018/19, including social care, compared to 2010 are here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-09/200902%20Jobs%20protection%20and%20upskilling%20plan%20formatted%20.pdf
- Prime Minister’s social care promise: On 24 July 2019, delivering his first speech as Prime Minister outside 10 Downing Street, Boris Johnson said:
“My job is to protect you, or your parents, or grandparents, from the fear of having to sell your home to pay for the costs of care. We will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve.”
However, despite stating a clear plan had been prepared, a year later no plan has been announced, let alone put in action.
- England only: Social care funding, service delivery, and qualification criteria for users are different in Wales and Scotland. The analysis, report and the TUC’s comments therefore apply to England only.
- About the TUC: The Trades Union Congress (TUC) exists to make the working world a better place for everyone. We bring together more than 5.5 million working people who make up our 48 member unions. We support unions to grow and thrive, and we stand up for everyone who works for a living.
Contacts:
Northern TUC
Craig Dawson
0191 2275 557
07712 675118
TUC press office
media@tuc.org.uk
020 7467 1248
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