Crisis in funding of social care

Luckygirl is correct, l.a.'s have statutory responsibilities but the austerity agenda means they don't have the finances to meet their statutory responsibilities to any client group, including the elderly.
I now feel I worked in a golden age, during the late 70's and 80's when we had in house resources to support our communities. So far as the elderly were concerned, we had teams of Home Care workers, who could visit, lay the fire, make a cup of tea and chat to the 'client'. A hot meal was delivered mid day, cooked in our kitchens, and delivered by our drivers and their assistant. A "no reply to meals on wheels" would be phoned in and a social worker or social work assistant sent out to see if Mr X had gone to the pub or had fallen and was unable to get up.
Gradually, l.a's had to outsource all those services. They're now run by private agencies and the carer gets 15 minutes max. The carer isn't paid for the travel between visits.
Gillybob we can afford it, honesty.
As for 'charity begins at home' - tell that to the starving children in the Lebanon or the children being bombed in Syria. We are a wealthy country and can afford to offer assistance to those in need.

Scrap Trident - save billions, and, possibly, the planet

I agree Luckygirl but they are focussed on Brexit whilst the country is crumbling.

Foreign aid ((0.7% of government's overall budget) is not simply a rich country such as ours transfering money to a poor country for altruistic reasons, but I hope we do consider we have a moral obligation as a rich country. Foreign aid is given in long term British interests and is given for many different political reasons. For example, commercial access, rewards for an approved government, for military allies, diplomatic reasons, to help prevent terrorism, migration and disease to name but a handful. Nothing's straightforward is it?

I have been pursuing a conversation with my MP on this subject; a conservative who is an excellent constituency MP - same about the party allegiance! But this MP recognises that the cutting of grants to LAs so that they can meet their responsibilities is a disaster.

LAs have legal obligations set under statute - but they have insufficient money to meet these - it is an unholy mess. All it needs is for the government to prioritise services to the under-privileged and follow that with the money.

EllanVannin I completely agree with you.

The foreign aid budget is a scandal especially as so much of it just goes into the pockets of corrupt regimes, rather then helping the poor overseas.

Just think what good those billions each year could do here.

Stop sending billions in foreign aid ! Charity begins at home.

My guess MarthaBeck is that they do not have a clue just how to fund this. I would hazard a guess that most of these deaths will have been the poorest people in society from the poorest LA's.

For example..... Raising taxes. Not going to be popular with the young having to pay out more and more just to stand still.

Raising council taxes...... our council tax is already up there as one of the highest in the country yet we are a very poor borough in the NE of England with the lowest wage brackets.

Raising NI (see above raising taxes) this would not only hit hard working young people but would also undoubtedly hit struggling employers already paying ridiculous amounts in what is effectively an employment tax.

Raising inheritance tax def not popular with those wishing to leave a substantial inheritance to their children/grandchildren.

To save money.