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ADULT SOCIAL CARE

'Underfunded' adult social care reforms put services at risk, warn councils

The underfunding of social care reforms will put the quality and availability of services at risk, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

The underfunding of social care reforms will put the quality and availability of services at risk, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.

Chair of the LGA's community wellbeing board, David Fothergill, said: ‘As well as potentially derailing the reforms themselves, inadequate funding also runs the risk of further destabilising existing services, with clear consequences for the ability of people who draw on social care to live the lives they want to lead.

‘Unless action is taken, people may experience reductions in quality and availability of care and support services while at the same time paying more for them through the new health and social care levy and increased council tax.'

A Government spokesperson said: ‘We are committed to the delivery of world-leading social care with far-reaching reforms backed by £5.4bn over three years which will then rise.'

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