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| Care cuts 'leave frail elderly fending for themselves' | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Frail old people in England are being left to fend for themselves because government-funded care is being scaled back, a review suggests. | |
| The number of over-65s being helped by councils had fallen by a quarter in the four years to 2014, the joint King's Fund and Nuffield Trust report said. | The number of over-65s being helped by councils had fallen by a quarter in the four years to 2014, the joint King's Fund and Nuffield Trust report said. |
| This was despite more people needing help, because of the ageing population. | This was despite more people needing help, because of the ageing population. |
| Ministers said they were taking measures to address the problems. | |
| But the report goes on to highlight the growing numbers left with no care or having to pay for support themselves. | |
| The report has been released on the day the BBC publishes an online guide to care, which details the costs people face wherever they live in the UK. | |
| Care is means-tested, with only the poorest getting help to pay for services, including help in the home for daily tasks such as washing and dressing, as well as round-the-clock support in care homes and nursing homes. | Care is means-tested, with only the poorest getting help to pay for services, including help in the home for daily tasks such as washing and dressing, as well as round-the-clock support in care homes and nursing homes. |
| The think tanks carried out interviews with people working in the service and being cared for, as well as analysing existing data during their review. | The think tanks carried out interviews with people working in the service and being cared for, as well as analysing existing data during their review. |
| They found: | They found: |
| The report also warned that the cuts by councils were a risk to the future of the market. | The report also warned that the cuts by councils were a risk to the future of the market. |
| It said it was only a matter of time before a care provider - most services are provided by outside agencies - collapsed, and it noted that providers had walked away from council contracts in 59 local authority areas. | It said it was only a matter of time before a care provider - most services are provided by outside agencies - collapsed, and it noted that providers had walked away from council contracts in 59 local authority areas. |
| It said the funding outlook for the coming years was "bleak" and ministers needed to reform the system or be honest with the public that government-funded care was extremely limited. | It said the funding outlook for the coming years was "bleak" and ministers needed to reform the system or be honest with the public that government-funded care was extremely limited. |
| But the government said it was investing in the care system. | But the government said it was investing in the care system. |
| A £5bn pot of money has been set aside to encourage joint work between the NHS and care sector, with an additional £1.5bn being added to that by 2019, and councils have been allowed to increase council tax by 2% a year to invest in care services. | A £5bn pot of money has been set aside to encourage joint work between the NHS and care sector, with an additional £1.5bn being added to that by 2019, and councils have been allowed to increase council tax by 2% a year to invest in care services. |
| A Department of Health official added: "We understand the social care system is under pressure, and this government is committed to ensuring those in old age throughout the country can get affordable and dignified care." | A Department of Health official added: "We understand the social care system is under pressure, and this government is committed to ensuring those in old age throughout the country can get affordable and dignified care." |
| Getting by without council help | Getting by without council help |
| Cyril Tomline has dementia and his wife of 54 years, Ann, a former district councillor, cares for him with help from their family, who live nearby, and some paid-for support. | Cyril Tomline has dementia and his wife of 54 years, Ann, a former district councillor, cares for him with help from their family, who live nearby, and some paid-for support. |
| "We are lucky, we own our own property. We have a lovely daughter next door," she says. | "We are lucky, we own our own property. We have a lovely daughter next door," she says. |
| But problems arose when Mrs Tomline had to be admitted to hospital for an ankle injury. | But problems arose when Mrs Tomline had to be admitted to hospital for an ankle injury. |
| She could not be discharged, because the council could not provide anyone to help both her and her husband. | She could not be discharged, because the council could not provide anyone to help both her and her husband. |
| Once again, her family stepped in, and she has now been able to start caring for Mr Tomline again. | Once again, her family stepped in, and she has now been able to start caring for Mr Tomline again. |
| "I became very depressed.," she recalls, "very, very depressed, very weepy." | "I became very depressed.," she recalls, "very, very depressed, very weepy." |
| "And that's not my nature. That's not my nature. I just felt nobody cared." | "And that's not my nature. That's not my nature. I just felt nobody cared." |
| Ray James, of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said councils simply did not have enough money. | Ray James, of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said councils simply did not have enough money. |
| "We're now at a tipping point where social care is in jeopardy," he said. | "We're now at a tipping point where social care is in jeopardy," he said. |
| "Unless the government addresses the chronic underfunding of the sector, there will be worrying consequences." | "Unless the government addresses the chronic underfunding of the sector, there will be worrying consequences." |
| Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said: "Social care is in serious trouble, and this is putting the health and dignity of today's older people at risk. | Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said: "Social care is in serious trouble, and this is putting the health and dignity of today's older people at risk. |
| "Today's reports highlight the need for serious reform to a system that is being starved of the cash and the attention that it deserves." | "Today's reports highlight the need for serious reform to a system that is being starved of the cash and the attention that it deserves." |
| Read more from Nick | Read more from Nick |
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| Are you affected by the issues raised in this story? Have you or a relative had to receive care? What has been your experience of covering the costs involved? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | |
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