2017 Pre-Budget Briefing: Social Care
Our series of briefings on the gender impact of policy in 12 distinct areas ahead of the Autumn Budget 2017.
UK Policy Briefing
Social Care is devolved to national governments and this briefing focuses on social provision in England.
The scale of reductions in spending and provision are almost certainly without precedent in the history of adult social care. Social care provision is a necessity not an option for a civilised society; people lead lives of isolation and misery if their needs for social care are not met.
Change is urgent. If nothing is done, by 2020, the end of this government’s term, there will be an estimated £4.3billion shortfall in social care funding in England.
The majority of care recipients are older women, many living on reduced incomes as a result of having spent their own working lives caring for others. Most of those employed in care are women, as are the majority of those who provide care unpaid for their families. Finding a better way to fund and provide social care is therefore of vital importance to women.
This briefing note outlines the issues and challenges that need to be faced in doing so, outlines a comprehensive solution and suggests some first steps that the new government could take in this direction. Social Care is devolved to national governments and this briefing focuses on social provision in England.
Our series of briefings on the gender impact of policy in 12 distinct areas ahead of the Autumn Budget 2017.
In this research, WBG and the New Economics Foundation calculate the cost of all the reforms needed to create a high-quality, universal care.
This report is based on a year-long inquiry into the state of care for older people in England.
The Women’s Budget Group responds to Support Guaranteed, a road map to a National Care Service published by the Fabian Society today.