Fears that dementia care could be a target of cuts have grown after Jeremy Hunt, the new chancellor of the exchequer, said that all government departments would need to find savings.
In an open letter to Hunt, the National Care Forum (NCF) said that public spending cuts to adult social care would be “disastrous” and urged the new chancellor to honour previous commitments.
NCF boss Vic Rayner points out in the letter that, when Hunt chaired the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, he called for an additional £7 billion a year for social care.
“Public spending cuts to adult social care would be disastrous, especially given current pressure on the NHS and the looming winter pressures,” the letter says.
“Equally, failing to increase public spending on social care in line with rising costs and ignoring the urgent need to inject funding into the workforce would also be unthinkable. We urge you to honour the recommendations of the Health and Social Care Select Committee.”