Budget: Jewish charity welcomes additional £650 million in social care funding

Jewish Care has welcomed the additional £650 million in social care funding in this week’s budget, but warned that the figure is still less than half what is needed.

The head of one of the Jewish community’s biggest care providers made the comments after Chancellor Philip Hammond offered the extra money for English councils as well as a £45 million disabilities facilities grant.

“Whilst I welcome any additional funding into social care, our past experience is that this money won’t reach social care providers like us,” said Jewish Care chief executive Daniel Carmel-Brown.’

“It is estimated that adult social care needs an additional £1.5 billion a year to cope with current demand and £650 million will only deal with the sharp end of this social care crisis. It is sticking plasters at a time when the system needs reform.”

He said society “can’t afford an adequately funded social care system,” so the only option was “to develop a partnership between individuals, families, the state and providers like Jewish Care,” echoing the past comments of previous Jewish Care chief executive Simon Morris.

Last year Jewish Care and Norwood welcomed Hammond’s announcement of £2 billion in extra funding for social care – but again said it is nowhere near enough.

At the time Morris said Government funding for each care home resident “has pretty much remained static” while financial pressures relating to increased frailty or the National Living Wage had “increased above inflation”.

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