SIR – Councils face a funding ‘black hole’ of £5.8 billion between now and 2020, crippling social care budgets, the Local Government Association warns.
The body, which represents councils across England and Wales, is urging new funding for social care as it predicts further drastic budget slashes will hit two-thirds of councils worse than expected.
Local government secretary Sajid Javid announced that an “adult social care support grant” of £240 million will be created for 2017-18 to encourage councils to build extra properties known as the New Homes Bonus.
However, to qualify councils are required to achieve housing growth of greater than 0.4 per cent. The LGA said this will see as many as 201 district councils lose out on NHB money, edging them towards “financial tipping point”.
The LGA’s Tory chairman Lord Porter said new government money is “now the only way to protect the services caring for our elderly and disabled people”.
Max Hey, Fairway Grove, Bradford
MORE READER LETTERS
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here