Commenting on the Chancellor's 2020 Budget, Morgan Vine, Head of Policy and Influencing at Independent Age, said:
“Older people are among those people most vulnerable to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, yet were all but forgotten in the Chancellor’s speech.
“A COVID-19 response fund is necessary and welcome, but more detail is needed on how it will support local authorities, private care providers, and older people who pay for their own care during this anxious time. Independent Age hears every day from people who rely on the care they receive, for example help with washing, dressing or going to the toilet, whether in their own home or in residential care. This national health crisis has the potential to exacerbate the enormous pressures on social care, and older people will suffer the consequences if the Government does not ensure parity between the NHS and social care.
“This Budget is another missed opportunity to prioritise social care. Older people across the country continue to be let down by a system that is unfair, costly, and inaccessible. It is essential that older people and their families are offered a positive long-term vision for what good care and support looks like. The Government must quickly set out plans to ensure everyone gets the care they need when they need it.”