On Monday 12th December I questioned the Government over its plans to tackle the funding crisis in social care. The Government is wrong to think council tax rises alone will be able to cover the gaping hole in social care funding. Government cuts mean councils are facing a £2.8bn gap in funding for social care by 2020. But the social care precept raised just £380m this year – less than 3% of what councils planned to spend on services for those in need. The sum will also fail to cover the expected £612m cost of the rise in the National Minimum Wage.

Poor locations – which need publically funded social care the most – are also the least likely to be able to raise the amount of money they need through an increase in the social care precept. This year the most affluent areas are due to raise over twice as much through the tax as the most deprived locations. Families, care users and the NHS will be hit hard unless the Health Secretary provides a plan to fund social care. You can watch my speech here, or read the full debate here.