Evidence to the Committee shows that currently 200,000 people with moderate and severe dementia in England do not get any kind of funded or professional support.
Projections show the number of older people living with dementia in England will increase to around 1.35 million by 2040 and the total cost of dementia care is projected to reach £80.4 billion by 2040, up from £29.5 billion in 2019 when nearly half of this spending went on social care (45.8%).
The Committee said it was disappointed the Government has not provided greater funding for social care in the immediate future. It also urges Ministers to accept its recommendation from a previous report for a £7 annual billion increase in funding for social care by 2023-24 as a starting point.
The Committee also recommend that the Department of Health and Social should develop clear guidance on the care and support those living with dementia and their carers should expect to receive, from diagnosis through to lifelong post-diagnostic support.
The report also concluded that the Government must consider the vital role of unpaid carers in supporting people with dementia and give them the opportunity to contribute to any plans for reform.
The Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, said:
“The extra funding announced in the Budget for local authorities is welcome but it’s not clear how much will be set aside to support the growing costs of providing social care. In the Committee’s view, the levy provides insufficient funding for social care over the next three years and fails to spell out how the sector will benefit from the levy after that.
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