NHS to gobble up new care funds

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said social care "does not actually get as much money as it needs" under government plans for new health taxes.

Mr Hunt, who chairs the Health and Social Care Select Committee, said ministers need to be wary of "falling in to a trap" over social care funding. He said, "Whilst this is a generous settlement, if we are honest, in the next three years, social care does not actually get as much money as it needs. The truth is that after that there is a risk of the NHS continuing to gobble up the lion's share."

He said no Conservative liked raising taxes and he added, "that if what we have done so far is tough, what is to come will be even tougher still. If you put your hands into people's pockets and take money out of them and they don't see visible improvements in the service they receive they get very angry indeed."