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Older people face increased rationing of key services as a result of chronic under funding of community care over the last decade, claims a new study from Help the Aged, writes Katie Leason.

Changes in policy, such as the withdrawal of the NHS from almost all long term provision, the redefinition of nursing care, and changes in capital limits for residential and nursing care have put additional demands on local authorities and led to a disproportionate allocation of resources going into hospital care at the expense of social care, the charity claims.

Gail Elkington, policy officer at Help the Aged, said: "Funding has simply not kept pace with need, and this is having disastrous consequences for older people.

"It is recognised that prevention is a key principle of social care.Yet more and more people are facing barriers, rationing, uncertainty and long delays.We urgently need to see this chronic inadequacy in funding addressed in the Chancellor’s forthcoming comprehensive spending review."

'Nothing Personal' shows that following central government guidance, social services departments have targeted their resources on those assessed as most in need of support, with the budget determining whether those with less urgent needs receive help.

While local authorities were found to be contracting with the independent sector to supply home and residential care in order to reduce costs, this appeared to be opening a gap in the quality of care as independent providers tried to manage with the lower fees offered by local authorities.

The report shows that fewer people are being supported at home but that they are receiving substantial packages of care, while low-level services such as cleaning, laundry, and gardening have been cut back.

The report, carried out by Nuffield Community Care Studies Unit at the University of Leicester, and financed by the Community Fund, looks at the policies and practices of six local authorities across England and Wales and is based on interviews with social services departments, voluntary sector and independent providers of care services, older people and their carers.

'Nothing Personal: rationing social care for older people' from 020 7239 1940.