Government plans for Social Care in disarray-Labour's promises to elderly are irresponsible

Cllr. David Foster, Leader of the Liberal Democrats on Blackburn with Darwen Council and responsible for Adult Social Care has joined with colleagues across the country in asking the government to think again about their proposals for free Home Care for those in most critical need.

Cllr Foster said, "The government has failed to cost these proposals properly and are not giving any new money to fund these proposals. They will have to come from savings in the Health and Social Care budgets. At a time when we are looking at how to fund Social Care, the government have picked this out of the air for electioneering. We need a responsible debate on how we as a society will pay for the increasing costs of Social Care in the next decades."

More than 70 councillors across a wide range of authorities have written to The Times asking the government to think again.

Responding to Government Minister, Andy Burnham's comments on the social care system, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

"It is increasingly clear that the Government's plans on care for the elderly are in disarray.

"Labour's pledge on personal care at home is going to cost much more than they claim and will not provide the long-term solution people need.

"Every party wants to provide the best possible care for those who need it, but making promises to vulnerable people that you can't deliver is grossly irresponsible.

"This issue is far too important to be used as a political football. The Liberal Democrats want to see a cross-party agreement on social care to sort this problem out once for all."

Read The Times article http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7021299.ece