Responding to the Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care government update, Nuffield Trust Deputy Director of Policy Natasha Curry said:
“Today’s announcement is effectively yet another ill-judged raid on a social care system already on the brink. This multi-million pound cut to the funds intended to improve the system will be seen as a betrayal by those working in the sector and the millions of people left struggling to access the care they need.
“Halving the money to support the stretched social care workforce is a particularly low blow amid a cost of living and recruitment and retention crisis affecting social care. It’s all very well to create a skills framework but if employers don’t have the cash to recognise improved skills with better wages, it will fall flat.
“The smoke and mirrors attempt to sow confusion bundling these cuts alongside preannounced funding on the fair cost of care and better care fund shows the Government simply are not serious about improving and investing in social care.
“Just last week the latest British Social Attitudes survey revealed that public satisfaction with social care is the lowest on record. With policy like this, it is not hard to see why.”