Adult Social Care is not a Luxury
PAUL MCLAUGHLIN
The Leader of East Sussex County Council (ESCC) has issued a stark warning to local residents to expect some deeply unpopular cuts to adult social care services next year as a result of a £55 million funding gap in the Council’s finances. Keith Glazier, the Conservative Leader of the Council, said the financial black hole will make it “almost impossible to maintain current levels of service provision” in 2025 and that ESCC will have to make some “extremely difficult choices” to a range of key services.
The Council Leader’s comments followed the launch of a series of 11 consultations to gauge public opinion on the potential impact of anticipated funding cuts to adult social care services. These include day services, community support, employment training for people with learning disabilities, supported accommodation, housing support services and drug and alcohol recovery.
Cllr Glazier explained that the costs of providing these services had almost doubled in just three years. This has been due to a combination of factors, primarily the increasing complexity of need and pressures arising from demand and demographic growth returning to pre-pandemic levels. Given this level of costs increase, he said ESCC “could not continue to deliver services in the way we have been.”
Last year the Council spent £239.46 million on delivering adult social care services. This equates to 48% of its entire budget and, along with children services, which accounts for 30% of total spending, means there is very little scope for making real savings without taking what are likely to be some very unpopular decisions.
The savings proposals are likely to include the closure of two-day services for older people and two-day centres, community support services and Steps to Work training for people with learning disabilities. There are also proposals to stop on-site support in supported accommodation for vulnerable adults and adults with mental health needs, significantly reducing funding for housing-related support services, and not renewing contracts for drug and alcohol recovery services.
Cllr Glazier acknowledged the importance of the services offered to support vulnerable people and said the Council specifically wanted to hear how individuals and communities could be affected by any potential changes to service levels. He also gave a commitment that ESCC “would continue to help everyone entitled to support under the Care Act, which is a legal duty for all councils” and that “no decisions have been made at this time and that all those who are entitled to support will continue to receive help.”
In addition to cuts to the adult social care budget, ESCC is also expected to reduce staffing numbers, cut office space and increase charges for paid- for services, such as residents parking permits. Cllr Glazier indicated, however, that these measures in themselves would not be sufficient to close the funding gap and he called on the new Labour Government to bail them out of the financial mess by delivering a “fairer and more sustainable deal for East Sussex that recognises the unique challenges we face as a county.”
Labour’s Trevor Webb, who represents the Central St Leonards and Gensing ward on ESCC, condemned the Council Leader’s comments. He urged all residents to take part in the consultation and to send ESCC a “clear message about the importance of maintaining properly funded adult social care services.” He said adult social care was not a “luxury” but “a vital necessity” and that any reduction in help and support to those in need “would mean more vulnerable people being deprived of help with their cooking, washing, dressing, and getting out of bed and denied the support they need to maintain and improve their independence.” Such services were desperately needed, he added, to “help vulnerable people maintain their independence, well-being and dignity, and to live the lives they want in their own homes and in their local community.” He warned that any cuts to budgets “would also have a detrimental impact on those caring for an adult family member or friend and would inevitably result in an increase in mental health issues and substance abuse problems.
The consultations will run until 28 November with decisions expected to be made on the proposals in February 2025.
Details about the consultations can be found at consultation.eastsussex.gov.uk
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