Increase taxes to fund social care, say fifty per cent of public

Twice as many people support increased taxes to fund social care than oppose it, research published today demonstrates.

The survey of more than 2,000 people on public attitudes to social care found that 50 per cent backed higher taxes to fund services against 26 per cent who disagreed.

Nine out of 10 said it would be important for them to be able to stay at home if they developed a disability or a long-term health condition. However, just half said they would be at least fairly likely to care for a friend or relative who developed such a condition.

The Disability Rights Commission, which carried out the research in tandem with the Equal Opportunities Commission and Carers UK, said social care was out of step with people’s aspirations, given under-funding and the concentration of services on fewer, needier people.

DRC chairman Bert Massie said: “Britons expect social care agencies to provide choices outside residential care and underline their priority for independence and control of their lives. These expectations, though, belie the reality of a social care system that is failing to do this and much more.”