“Today’s poll from the Health and Social Care information Centre shows the enormous toll that caring takes on family members”, said Helga Pile, UNISON National Officer for care workers. The union is warning that while cuts to vital services such as respite care, day centres and homecare services may generate short-term savings, they place a heavy burden on carers storing up long-term difficulties and additional cost.
Helga Pile, went on to say:
“Good support from social services is an absolutely necessary investment because without it carers cannot keep going. If a carers own health suffers it leads to greater need and costs further down the line.
“Some of the vital services that make a real difference and give carers a break, are homecare and day centres. But privatisation and cuts mean for many, homecare has become a nightmare of rushed flying visits, and an endless turnover of workers struggling to stay in the job on zero hours contracts and poverty pay.
“Across the country access to daycare centres is becoming less available through closures, exorbitant charges, and rationing.
“We fear this dissatisfaction will only get worse as councils struggle to deal with increased need – with 43% cuts to budgets and no end in sight. The Local Government Association’s recent warnings about crisis and make or break are not idle threats.”
A survey from UNISON earlier this week of community, voluntary and housing workers revealed that services to the most vulnerable people in society “hang by a thread”. The Third sector is responsible for picking up a number of local government contracts such as homecare services but the survey of almost 3,000 workers uncovered dangerously underfunded services leading to hardship and exposing children and the disabled to risk.
The Government’s Care Bill proposes to strengthen services and rights for carers, but UNISON is worried that local authorities will be woefully under-resourced to meet these new responsibilities. The government has resisted amendments that would require an independent funding review by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility.