The Care and Support Alliance today warned that the promise of social care reform was being threatened by a lack of funding. Responding to the Joint Committee report into the Draft Care and Support Bill, Chair of the Care and Support Alliance, Simon Gillespie, said:

“The CSA welcomes today’s report and its clear recognition that the Government must deliver adequate funding if it is to realise its goal of developing a social care system fit for the future. The funding gap for care is growing and without increased resources, more and more people are likely to go without the care and support they need.

“We support the Committee’s recommendation that the threshold for eligibility criteria needs to promote the well being of individuals. This means the threshold must not be set too high. We know that failing to meet even an individual’s ‘moderate’ needs can have a damaging impact on their lives. However, this is increasingly happening as local authorities raise eligibility criteria.

“We also welcome the report’s suggestions that personal budgets must be sufficient to meet needs and that local authorities should take account of the cost of provision when setting rates they will pay providers“Finally, the CSA agrees with the report that advocacy should be provided before the assessment for care and support takes place. However, we would like to see a right for a person to have an advocate to support them throughout the process if they would not be able to be properly involved in the assessment without one.”