Social care plays a vital role in the lives of millions of older and disabled people in England, and helps people to get the care and support they need and, where possible, lead independent lives.
The social care sector relies on a diverse range of providers as care is delivered by everyone from the NHS and local government to charities and private care firms. There are also, crucially, around 5.4 million relatives and friends who provide unpaid care to people in need.
The social care sector and NHS are increasingly interdependent. People who receive good quality social care are less likely to fall ill and require the care and treatment provided by the NHS. A well-funded and good quality social care sector is fundamental to a well-performing NHS.
Despite its importance to both people’s lives and the performance of the NHS, social care has been in decline over recent decades. More than 1.4 million people are not able to access the care and support they need. And the situation is likely to deteriorate further, with the number of people with dementia in the UK set to rise to more than 1 million by 2025. Already, up to 58 per cent of people over 60 are living with at least one long-term condition, such as diabetes, arthritis or hypertension, and this is set to rise.
Funding for social care has fallen by 11 per cent in recent years. All of this has led many experts to conclude that the social care sector is in crisis. There is a strong consensus that a sustainable social care system needs to be created, backed by a long term funding settlement.
