Chancellor should use £2.4bn in unallocated business rates to ease the care funding crisis, says UNISON

The government could ease the social care crisis by handing councils back billions in surplus cash raised from business rates, says a report published today (Wednesday) by UNISON. The government expects to receive a £2.4bn windfall from business taxes next year, and for the two subsequent years. This is because it now receives more in business rates from English local authorities* than it pays out to them in revenue support grant. UNISON’s report Investing in Social Care says this £2.4bn growth in business rates ‘surplus’ has yet to be allocated for specific spending by ministers. Investing it in social care would be the best possible use of the money for those in need of support, the homecare workforce and the NHS, says UNISON. Cuts to local government spending have meant a reduction in older people receiving home care, a fall in the number of day care places and in meals-on-wheels services, all of which is putting huge pressure on the already stretched NHS, says UNISON. Local council taxpayers would also benefit too, according to the report. If local authorities in England were given an extra £2.4bn, it would remove the need for the two per cent council tax precept, says UNISON. Last April English councils were allowed to raise extra cash from council taxpayers to spend on social care. But this money doesn’t go where it is needed most, and elderly people in deprived areas lose out, says UNISON. UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “The social care system...
Source: UNISON Health care news - Category: UK Health Authors: Tags: News Press release dave prentis government local governemnt NHS social care Source Type: news