More cuts to social care on the way

Yes, it's about time taxes were raised to cover the costs that society needs to fund.

It would be good to know the sort of range of the Mounts to councils get - is that 16M shortfall all grant or just part? Also the method used to decide the level of funding for each council.
Sad to say that I agree taxes may need to go up.

Ive paid taxes all my life and am still paying tax on my small private pension!

yes the budget cuts are severe, in October this year the 'support' for sheltered accomodation is being axed!

West Sussex Council has just employed a new chief executive, his wages are £190,000 per year!!!

Many of us are paying tax on our small pension Mumsy - we pay it twice - at source in UK and then in France as we are taxed as a couple and the system here is very different with lower base line and tax band. - we do get an allowance at the moment with this double tax treaty but it is in our case only about a third of the money we pay in UK.
When I think We pay too much I always think of my Dad who never complained about what he paid because he thought we should all pay into the pot - he was just in a normal job - and am glad that I am not trying to manage as some people are on very small pensions - it IS all based on income although I realise some people are better than us at managing not to pay all the tax they should!!!

More on the impending cuts to care budget.
Apparently some councils have not raised council tax to the max allowed to make up for the shortfall in central funding. Care has already been cut and those working in the sector are not paid well. I imagine that the rise in the minimum wage will affect some and that this will further limit the amount of care that can be given.
We already have a situation where carers in some cases are being expected to help a frail person get up, toilette, washed and give breakfast in a very small time slot.
Increasing numbers of frail elderly and disabled people are going to have less help than they need.
I'd anticipate that this will also put further pressure on NHS hospital beds because they can't get the care lined up for patients needing to go home.
(Cue Jeremy Hunt telling us again to be nice to our elderly relatives and neighbours. And that private companies will step into the breach.)

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/councils-complain-about-social-care-funding-cuts-while-freezing-council-tax/
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeremy-hunt-faces-backlash-over-claim-that-relatives-do-not-do-enough-to-support-the-elderly-10366409.html
www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-hunt-says-britains-care-7932080

Yea gods! What next?

Why on earth should anyone want to be nice to our elderly relatives and neighbours

I pay income tax and council tax. It's up to 'them' to get their care sorted.

Were you being sarcastic Anya? I hope so! I have no problem with helping elderly family members and neighbours and have done so as many of us have. However, there does need to be some sort of safety net/bottom line when help can be found from more formal sources. Also not everyone has access to family or neighbours with a sense of responsibility.

One thing being nice to your neighbours and doing a bit of shopping or whatever. Quite another doing their personal care.
And quite another being lectured by the chap who is mismanaging NHS England.
There was a sudden increase in deaths (mainly of elderly) in the UK last year. We do not know whether this is a trend.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/07/number-deaths-england-wales-12-year-high-life-expectancy

Really? We're very squeamish these days. What's wrong with helping someone with personal care?

Yes, being a bit tongue in cheek Jane at badly and baldy phrased posts. Many of us are more than happy to put aside our own distaste and get down to the nitty gritty of helping out elderly friends and relatives. It's much harder for the person at the receiving end I'm sure. Might be us one day.

Cant say I'm looking forward to it Anya. Not sure which would be worse, a complete stranger or a close family member.

Indeed

I find the suggestion coming down from on high that we are indifferent to the problems of elderly members of our own families or neighbours and ought to try harder quite offensive.

I spent 10 years visiting elderly people at home helping with benefit applications and most of my clients had loving and supportive families who went to great lengths to look after their frail and vulnerable members.

Where families were estranged, the cause was always more complicated than loving parents deserted by indifferent children. In the past, as at present, some parents are very poor and indifferent parents and, on occasion neglectful and abusive. Is it a surprise that when these people grow old those neglected and abused children cannot be bothered to help them? The amazing thing is that some do.

Anya it's not the squeamishness, its the time and commitment. If you had a neighbour who had to be got up in the morning, helped to the toilet, washed, dressed and made breakfast for, not forgetting to make sure she took all her pills, and helped on with support stockings would it be squeamish to day that you did not want the responsibility of making sure this was done 7 mornings a week, 52 weeks a year? And if it was yourself in that position - would you want to rely on neighbours??

I do take your point Jess please don't think that I don't.

But, regarding neighbours, it's not an all or nothing approach I'm suggesting. Before people get to the stage where they need all the attention you so rightly itemised above, there are ways we can help. My elderly neighbour once asked me if she 'smelled'. She was so worried about this and then it came out that she couldn't manage getting in and out the bath herself even with one of those aid things. And she missed the luxury of a warm bath. So every Sunday I helped her bathe. Yes, initially we were both embarrassed but that soon went.

When my late MiL came to live with us for her final few months I did commit to all the above. It was hard, especially as she had vascular dementia which made her very confused and aggressive. But I'm glad now that I did it. I hope that doesn't sound like 'virtue signalling' but I do feel very strongly that as a society we ought to cherish our older folks just a bit more.

I know there sometimes comes a point where people really can't do any more and have to hand over to the professionals. And I know several people here on GN who are struggling on that cusp. It's a hard decision, and we can only try our best.