Councils already cutting social care to hit savings target

Councils are already planning to cut social care services to meet a government savings target of £1.1bn this year.

By Vern Pitt on June 16, 2010 in Adults, Children, Mental Health, Residential care, Social care leaders

Councils are already planning to cut social care services to meet a government savings target of £1.16bn this year.

Research by the BBC revealed proposals to make savings including Nottighamshire Council closing 13 of its care homes, cuts to homelessness project funding in Canterbury in Kent and cuts to adult services in Worcestershire and Staffordshire.

The news came as Unison called on its members to stand up to the cuts with Dave Prentis, general secretary, saying that the government “won’t know what hit them” if it cuts services or pensions.

Unison is planning to campaign against cuts for the next four years.

Last week the government removed ring-fences from several key social care grants to local authorities including those supporting social care IT projects and services for people with learning disabilities, stroke and HIV/Aids. This could put them at risk from local cuts.

Lord Adebowale, chief executive of charity Turning Point, said: “Cutting frontline services would be a false economy, costing the government far more in the long-term.”

Chancellor George Osbourne will announce the government’s emergency budget on 22 June.

Ring-fencing removed from social care grants