ADASS budget survey 2015: report

Author(s)

ASSOCIATION OF DIRECTORS OF ADULT SOCIAL SERVICES

Publisher(s):

Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

Publication year:

2015

An analysis of the state of adult social care finances, providing in-depth intelligence on how adult social care is responding to the twin challenges of meeting increased demand and managing reducing resources. The survey seeks to explore the views of Directors of Adult Social Services across English Local Authorities on how councils are reconciling the growing numbers of people, often with increasingly complex needs, requiring care and support with the significant and sustained reductions in the funding available. The survey data sets out the concerns of councils in making increasingly difficult choices and the attempts to minimise impacts upon front line services. The report suggests that taking the growth in numbers of older and disabled people into account an additional £1.1 billion would be needed to provide the same level of service as last year. The care provision market is becoming increasingly fragile and 56 per cent of directors report that providers are facing financial difficulties. Many local authorities are going to have to pay more if providers are to be able to attract workers as unemployment falls. While directors see increased prevention and integration as their top two areas for savings for this year, next and beyond, many are struggling to balance investment in reducing future demand and costs at a time when budgets to meet existing statutory duties to provide care and support to those most in need are under such pressure. The paper calls upon the Government to urgently ensure that social care funding is protected and aligned with the NHS, including making provision for the social care funding gap alongside the funding gap for the NHS. (Edited publisher abstract)