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| Social care rules 'inconsistent' | Social care rules 'inconsistent' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Rising numbers of elderly and disabled people in England are being denied social care at home, a report warns. | |
| The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) says there are inconsistencies in how councils decide who gets help and how much they get. | |
| Social care minister Ivan Lewis has ordered a fundamental review of the rules on eligibility. | Social care minister Ivan Lewis has ordered a fundamental review of the rules on eligibility. |
| Increasing demand and cost mean thousands who would have got support a few years ago are no longer eligible. | |
| In a very tight financial settlement, we have to use resources as effectively as possible and if you want more services, we need more resources John Ransford, Local Government Association 'We lost our home' | In a very tight financial settlement, we have to use resources as effectively as possible and if you want more services, we need more resources John Ransford, Local Government Association 'We lost our home' |
| The CSCI, whose report is due to be released later, has been investigating the widening gap in social care. | The CSCI, whose report is due to be released later, has been investigating the widening gap in social care. |
| Seven out of ten councils now restrict their services to those people whose needs are defined as "substantial" or "critical". | Seven out of ten councils now restrict their services to those people whose needs are defined as "substantial" or "critical". |
| Local authorities argue cuts have been forced upon them by tight budgets and the increasing demands of an ageing population. | Local authorities argue cuts have been forced upon them by tight budgets and the increasing demands of an ageing population. |
| But, according to Mr Lewis, the CSCI has uncovered enormous variations in the way councils interpret the rules. | But, according to Mr Lewis, the CSCI has uncovered enormous variations in the way councils interpret the rules. |
| More require care | More require care |
| This means people with similar needs in different parts of the country - and in some cases living in the same local authority - are getting widely different levels of care. | This means people with similar needs in different parts of the country - and in some cases living in the same local authority - are getting widely different levels of care. |
| Mr Lewis said: "It's not acceptable. That's why today, I'm announcing a fundamental review of the system which determines who gets care." | Mr Lewis said: "It's not acceptable. That's why today, I'm announcing a fundamental review of the system which determines who gets care." |
| He said the system faced a particular challenge coping with increasing numbers of elderly people developing dementia. | He said the system faced a particular challenge coping with increasing numbers of elderly people developing dementia. |
| He told the BBC: "The health service will in the future have to spend significantly more resources on specialist support for families experiencing dementia: it is the new heart care, the new cancer care, the new stroke care - dementia is one of the great issues we now have to face up to." | He told the BBC: "The health service will in the future have to spend significantly more resources on specialist support for families experiencing dementia: it is the new heart care, the new cancer care, the new stroke care - dementia is one of the great issues we now have to face up to." |
| The deputy head of the Local Government Association, John Ransford, said: "A rising number of older people in society, people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities are requiring more and more care. | The deputy head of the Local Government Association, John Ransford, said: "A rising number of older people in society, people with learning disabilities, people with physical disabilities are requiring more and more care. |
| "We want them to have that care in their home, in their local communities. That's usually their wish, but it is expensive and we've got to balance resources with needs." | "We want them to have that care in their home, in their local communities. That's usually their wish, but it is expensive and we've got to balance resources with needs." |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Local Government Association has been saying very strongly that in a very tight financial settlement, we have to use those resources as effectively as possible and if you want more services, we need more resources." | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "The Local Government Association has been saying very strongly that in a very tight financial settlement, we have to use those resources as effectively as possible and if you want more services, we need more resources." |
| Have you been affected by issues covered in the story? Has your social care provision been restricted by your council? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. | |