A GIANT piggy bank took to the sky in Bradford highlighting Age UK’s call for more Government funding for social care for the elderly.

The inflatable, called Penny, is raising awareness of data from the charity suggesting that 1.4m older people go without the care and support they need, and that the social care crisis is costing the NHS over £500 per minute.

Mark Rounding Age UK Bradford Chief Officer said: “Within Bradford district there are more than 9,000 people aged 65-plus provided unpaid care. Age UK Bradford District is committed to helping older people, their carers and families to manage the emotional, physical and financial toll of providing social care in the current system.

“Our council and NHS are doing the best they can with pinched resources and funding, and we are proud to work in partnership to provide support in the community. Change to the social care system must first happen at a national level, led by the government, before it can be realised locally. With the Green Paper on social care expected in the autumn, we want to ensure the voices of older people and carers are heard in letting the government know that now is the time to finally fix the care crisis in our country.

Caroline Abrahams, Charity Director at Age UK said: “The Government’s current approach of feeding the NHS at the same time as starving social care is a recipe for wasting money, and one that produces a lot of suffering and distress for many older people in need.”