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Original poster

Underfunding social care and carers

84 replies

Sodd · 04/04/2023 07:52

While funding has increased in other areas, social care funding has been rock bottom the last 13 years (despite regulations and demand being at their highest). There is no real plan for staff retention. Local authorities fail to cover the cost of care packages, which in turn puts care workers on the minimum wage despite high levels of responsibility, safeguarding responsibilities, medication responsibilities, report writing, key working and risk of harm while working.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/04/halving-social-care-workforce-funding-in-england-an-insult-ministers-told?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Halving social care workforce funding in England an ‘insult’, ministers told

Charities criticise new plans, described as a ‘shadow of the reform needed’ with the care system ‘on the precipice’

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/04/halving-social-care-workforce-funding-in-england-an-insult-ministers-told?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

OP posts:
Botw1 · 04/04/2023 07:54

It's a disgrace and a huge part of the reason why the nhs is failing

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 04/04/2023 07:56

Yup. Even easier to underfund social care than the nhs - some rich people use the nhs, social care is only for poor people with no clout.

what’s your point?

By the way it’s not councils being mean or greedy, they are being starved by central government.

Spendonsend · 04/04/2023 07:58

I'm shocked at some of the conditions care workers work in. Some of the carers that go from home to home dont get paid for the time travelling between clients and they have to run their own cars. They do get mileage but to me going from person a to person b is work time.

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General health
Gazelda · 04/04/2023 07:59

A lot of providers simply cannot afford to offer their service any more, leading them to 'hand back' their contract.

I can't understand why this scandal isn't far more in the public consciousness. It's only going to get worse, and the nhs can't recover until social care is prioritised and properly funded.

YourUserNameMustBeAtLeast3Characters · 04/04/2023 08:07

Spendonsend · 04/04/2023 07:58

I'm shocked at some of the conditions care workers work in. Some of the carers that go from home to home dont get paid for the time travelling between clients and they have to run their own cars. They do get mileage but to me going from person a to person b is work time.

The pay rates for carers who travel between homes (and are only paid for the care time not the travel) are higher, so that the total pay and the total time (including travel time) is still above the minimum wage. If you look homecare worker job adverts might be at about £12.50 vs in a care home maybe £10.50 (pre this month’s minimum wage increase).

It’s still shit money, and not a job I’d like to do, particularly being in someone’s home on my own.

The underfunding of social care is a national disgrace.

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:10

This is a huge problem but the costs would be massive to address this issue properly. I do wonder why the government doesn't build large, basic care homes as a safety net for people who can't afford private care. At the moment we are still paying off the bills for Covid...

EmmaEmerald · 04/04/2023 08:15

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:10

This is a huge problem but the costs would be massive to address this issue properly. I do wonder why the government doesn't build large, basic care homes as a safety net for people who can't afford private care. At the moment we are still paying off the bills for Covid...

Well, it was near impossible to get staff before the vaccine mandate. Now so many have gone, there's no point building facilities if you can't get staff.

For a long time, it's been a job very few will do unless they are desperate. Pay and conditions definitely need to improve x 100 but even then, it will be hard to get staff.

Mum spent two weeks in respite care in a lovely place with lovely staff. But what they deal with all day is incredibly depressing. I think what they do is amazing, but you can't expect to find lots of amazing people like that.

Alexandra2001 · 04/04/2023 08:20

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:10

This is a huge problem but the costs would be massive to address this issue properly. I do wonder why the government doesn't build large, basic care homes as a safety net for people who can't afford private care. At the moment we are still paying off the bills for Covid...

Unless SC is tackled and my DD was a carer whilst at Uni, the issues with the NHS will continue.

So many EU workers have left the sector and others leave for better paid work.

Covid should not be blamed for failings in Government policy/inaction.

There is a shortfall of workers too, approx 200k and its increasing to 350k...... its not just pay and conditions, what neither party is saying is where these workers will come from? India/Asia? Philippines? plus their extended families... where will they live, they'll never return to their home countries as an EU worker is likely too.

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:23

As there is no money available, families will have to go back to caring for their elderly parents in their old age as they used to in the past.

YorkieTheRabbit · 04/04/2023 08:47

Sadly care work is looked down on. The wages are low, hours are unsociable and the work can be very challenging.
Unless we value the care work sector nothing will change.
The government can do certain things but it needs a change in how we all view things.
How many of us would be willing to do that job, or be happy if your son/daughter said they were considering doing that work even if the pay was significantly higher.

Botw1 · 04/04/2023 08:48

@Luckydip1

How many elderly relatives are you caring for?

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:49

And your point is?

YourUserNameMustBeAtLeast3Characters · 04/04/2023 08:51

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:23

As there is no money available, families will have to go back to caring for their elderly parents in their old age as they used to in the past.

People are more frail for longer, compared to several decades ago, due to medical successes in other areas. But this means rates of dementia are much much higher. When I was a child in the 70s my friends sometimes had a frail grandma living with them for 6 months. Not 10 years of trying to care for someone with advanced dementia at home, as those same friends are now doing.

Then the knock on effect on the economy is you have people (women!) in their 50s out of the workplace as they are caring.

Notonthestairs · 04/04/2023 08:56

"Then the knock on effect on the economy is you have people (women!) in their 50s out of the workplace as they are caring."

Well quite.

Don't the Government want the over 50's in employment rather than caring for their elders.

They can't have it both ways.

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:57

A friend has been paying privately for carers for his dad. He pays £7,000 per month and this has been going on for four years so far. The costs are huge.

Botw1 · 04/04/2023 08:57

@Luckydip1

My point is families can't or won't care for elderly relatives so your suggestion is meaningless

Notonthestairs · 04/04/2023 08:57

And let's face it they can find money when they want to - they just don't want to. Even though (or because?) social care is they key to freeing up the NHS.

Allblackeverythingalways · 04/04/2023 08:58

Sure. I'll nurse my parents.
If I get the whole value of the estate.

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:59

@Botw1 well if they won't then will they leave their parents in hospital and refuse to taken them home, blocking beds for people who are really ill?

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 09:00

Raising income tax by 5 pence would probably be the cost and that isn't going to happen.

DragonScreeches · 04/04/2023 09:02

Luckydip1 · 04/04/2023 08:23

As there is no money available, families will have to go back to caring for their elderly parents in their old age as they used to in the past.

If you care for a disabled and/or elderly adult you will know that is is really, really not as simple as that. People have careers and lives they they cannot easily give up. Even if they can do this, caring is extremely hard work physically and mentally and a lot of us suffer burnout.

YorkieTheRabbit · 04/04/2023 09:02

@Luckydip1 I spent two years caring for my dad, he had Alzheimer’s, until he went into full time care.
The fear, confusion, aggression and at times, dangerous actions I witnessed, aren’t something that everyone is capable of dealing with.
It was the hardest thing I’ve ever experienced.

Butterwicky · 04/04/2023 09:04

I've been a care worker. It was awful, partly because of the way we were treated by management. A lot of responsibility and stress for terrible pay. I would only go back if they paid at least £15/hour. If I was having to take a min wage job now I'd rather work in a supermarket, pub etc - somewhere where I won't have so much responsibility and risk of getting verbally/physically abused by service users.

I can see this becoming more and more of a problem.

Dementia is the biggest issue I think. Looking after a frail elderly family member at home is one thing. Looking after someone with dementia, who may wander off, get angry, get paranoid, sleep at odd times/not at all, do dangerous things... Whole different kettle of fish.

manontroppo · 04/04/2023 09:04

The Tories slashed the budget given to local authorities for pretty much everything, including care and schools, so they can shift the blame to local authorities.

Botw1 · 04/04/2023 09:05

@Luckydip1

Yes.

That's exactly what happens

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