Social care funding cut by £900m last year
Published 14 June 2012
Figures released from a survey conducted by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) showed that in the past two years social care budgets had lost £1.89bn in funding.
Cuts to council funding led to a £900m reduction in budgets for social care last year - a drop of more than 6 per cent - despite government assurances that funds had been ring fenced to avoid social care services being affected.
Alzheimer's Society comment:
'These drastic cuts to social care funding are extremely alarming. Chronic under-funding of social care has over many years driven down quality, choice and accessibility of vital care and support. It also places an unacceptable financial burden on the shoulders of people who need the care, including people with dementia, who are unfairly penalised by the system, paying huge amounts for care which in many cases fails to meet their needs.'
'We urge politicians from all parties to work on creating a fair social care system. By 2021 there will be over one million people living with dementia. Good quality care at a reasonable price cannot come soon enough.'
Louise Lakey
Policy Manager
Alzheimer's Society
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Notes to editors:
- One in three people over 65 will die with dementia
- Alzheimer's Society research shows that 800,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia, more than half have Alzheimer's disease. In just ten years a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2051
- Alzheimer's Society champions the rights of people living with dementia and the millions of people who care for them
- Alzheimer's Society works in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Alzheimer's Society supports people to live well with dementia today and funds research to find a cure for tomorrow. We rely on voluntary donations to continue our vital work. You can donate now by calling 0845 306 0898 or visiting alzheimers.org.uk
- Alzheimer's Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0845 300 0336 or visit alzheimers.org.uk
- Alzheimer's Society and Tesco have mapped the number of people with dementia in each part of the UK and the percentage who receive a diagnosis. To view the 'Mapping the Dementia Gap' study visit alzheimers-tesco.org.uk
