In response to the Health & Social Care Information Centre’s Personal Social Services: Expenditure and Unit Costs, England (2013-14, final release), Chief Executive of Independent Age, Janet Morrison, said:
“Figures today from the Health & Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show the full extent of the cut in services over the last five years for older people. In real terms, councils are spending £1.3bn less on social care for the elderly, at a time when expenditure should have increased to reflect a growing ageing population. Cuts were made to essential community services such as meals and home adaptations, and charges for services increased. Even more worryingly, councils continue to force down the cost at which they buy care home places, overall spending £100m less on residential and nursing care in 2013/14 compared with 2012/13, but at a risk of threatening the quality of care home provision. The Care Act, which comes into force in April places new duties on councils to help older people, but today’s figures raise more questions about where the money to implement the Act will come from”.