Despite the growing need of support from the central government, social services in Britain will be given a lesser budget until the end of the parliamentary. In effect, the service is forced to truncate assistance due to budget constraints. The core government body in the task of taking care of the elderly and disabled is reportedly in an "existential crisis."
The Guardianreports that at the time when there is a rising number of elderly people in need of care, the Council of Local Government Association is forced to reduce at-home care support which leaves more of the aging population at harm and isolation. The social services care cost cutting was primarily due to the Whitehall budget reduction.
Moreover, reasons that put the service in crisis were because of the growing elderly population, rising costs of care and the central government's lackadaisical response in approving grants that further support financial needs in maintaining the institution.
Chair of LGA's Wellbeing Board and leader of Warwickshire County Council, Izzi Seccombe, said that Chancellor Phillip Hammond should not take the degrading condition of the service lightly. Further, the official said that the condition of social care service is critical and nowhere exaggerated.
Social care expert, Richard Humphries, told the publication that the cut back in social care budget is an unsustainable decision when there is a growing number of the aging and disabled people in the Britain. Currently, social service spending budget is restricted to less than 1% of the GDP.
In a separate report by The Guardian, the care cuts have left over a million of disabled and elderly people in a worst condition than ever before. The people in need of assistance were physically sicker and had been experiencing depression due to isolation. BBC News reports that elders are left with no other choice but to take care of themselves despite their vulnerable condition.
Over the course of six years, the central government gutted the care budget several times amounting to over 4.6 billion Sterling Pounds. Another billion will be slashed from the budget this year.
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