Nearly 2,000 elderly people per day were turned down for care
Nearly 2,000 elderly people per day were turned down for care in the two years since Boris Johnson pledged to fix the crisis when he was elected PM
- Plan to fix UK social care crisis not now expected until the autumn at the earliest
- Boris Johnson stood on the steps of Downing Street and claimed he had a plan
- Poll finds that more than four in five want PM to fulfil his pledge to ‘fix social care
Nearly 2,000 requests for vital social care have been turned down every single day since Boris Johnson first promised to fix the broken system.
Today is the second anniversary of Mr Johnson standing on the steps of Downing Street on his first day as Prime Minister to claim he had already prepared a plan to reform social care.
But two years on, no plan has been published – and it is not now expected until the autumn at the earliest.
Urging him to get on and publish his proposals, the charity Age UK analysed official statistics which showed that 1.4million requests for care from older people have been turned down since he became PM.
Nearly 2,000 requests for vital social care have been turned down every single day since Boris Johnson first promised to fix the broken system [File photo]
It means that every day, nearly 2,000 people were told the state would not pay for them to have the care and support they desperately need. In some of these cases a pensioner was found by their local council not to meet the tight eligibility criteria set for the social care system and that was the end of it.
In others, the individual was found ineligible but their council then referred them to other services in the hope that they could assist them instead, including their local Age UK.
It had been hoped that Mr Johnson would publish his social care proposals this week.
But the Cabinet pingdemic following Health Secretary Sajid Javid’s positive Covid test put paid to that.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: ‘After all the recent media stories suggesting that the Government wanted to make an announcement about its social care proposals before recess it is very disappointing to have been let down once again.
‘The fact that we are all thoroughly used to being led down the garden path doesn’t make this latest disappointment any easier, especially when we consider the damaging impact on older people and their loved ones.
‘These constant government delays carry a cost, and our new statistics show it is one paid above all by people who need care, vast numbers of whom are turned away when they approach their council for help. Two years after he made his historic promise it’s high time the Prime Minister followed through.’
Mr Johnson is understood to favour a £50,000 lifetime cap on the amount people contribute towards their social care bills.
But the Treasury has said this would be expensive, and ministers have been considering a 1p in the pound increase in National Insurance on both employers and employees to raise £10billion a year.
Parliament rose for its summer recess on Thursday, meaning it is unlikely that any social care plans will be unveiled before the autumn.
Mr Johnson is understood to favour a £50,000 lifetime cap on the amount people contribute towards their social care bills [File photo]
Age UK marked the second anniversary of the PM’s time in office by urging him in a letter to fulfil his first-day promise to fix social care, and handing it in to 10 Downing Street.
The Daily Mail has campaigned tirelessly for better social care support for the elderly.
A poll recently carried out by YouGov for 76 charities, including Age UK, which campaign together as the Care and Support Alliance. It found that more than four in five want Mr Johnson to fulfil his pledge to ‘fix social care, once and for all’.
Meanwhile, demand for care appears to be high and rising.
Two thirds of directors of social services say the number seeking support due to carer breakdown, sickness or unavailability of care has risen in their areas. Many say some care providers have closed, ceased trading or handed back local authority contracts.
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