According to the latest report from the IFS, one in ten councils have cut adult social care spending by more than a quarter. Across England as a whole, spending by councils on social care per adult resident fell by 11% in real-terms between 2009–10 and 2015–16.

Commenting on the report, Caroline Abrahams, Age UK’s Charity Director said:

“This new report lays bare the extent of the care crisis and explains why so many older people are now missing out on the help they need, often with disastrous consequences for them personally and for other public services, most notably our hospitals.

“It also reveals an unacceptable postcode lottery, and there can be little doubt that how much care you receive and indeed whether you get it at all varies considerably between different areas of the country.

“This is deeply unfair and frankly unacceptable, given how important care is to an older person’s health, wellbeing and independence. The care crisis is a national problem demanding a national solution and we look to the Government to bring forward proposals for solving it in their forthcoming Green Paper.”