York people spent nearly £15m on adult social care last year

NHS Digital figures show people in York paid £14.5 million for adult social care services in 2022-23 - a £500,000 increase on the year before.

The data shows that City of York Council spent £107 million providing services last year.

Councils can offset spending on providing care through income and funding streams including investment from the NHS and patient contributions.

The NHS said City of York Council received £35.8 million which meant the council’s net spend on providing adult social care was £70.8 million, down from £71 million in 2021-22.

The council’s executive member for adult social care, Jo Coles, backed the Local Government Association's (LGA) decision to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to urge him to provide further funding for councils to deliver adult social care services.

The LGA said the investment in 2022-23 ‘will do little more than allow councils to stand still’.

Cllr Coles said: “With an ageing population the LGA is completely right that local government funding isn’t keeping pace with increases in costs and demand for services.

“City of York Council will always work to the best of our ability to meet the care needs of people across the city but at the moment after 13 years of cuts from the national government we are doing so with one hand tied behind our back.”

Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s community wellbeing board, said: “Councils have increased their spending on adult social care, but evidence shows that there is still an unacceptable amount of unmet and under-met need.

“Councils are facing increased demand for services and unprecedented inflationary and pay pressures, and urgent action must be taken to address these issues.”

In a City of York Council 2023/24 finance report, council officers reported ‘recurring overspends’ across adult social care amid the ‘national challenge’.

The September Finance and Performance Monitor report said the overspend would be £6.835 million against a budget of £45.329 million, and listed £3 million in mitigation that would reduce it.

'Paid and unpaid carers do a brilliant job'

In its annual assessment of the state of health and adult social care in England, the Care Quality Commission cited increased running costs, including food and electricity and wages that affect recruitment and retention affecting adult social care providers.

Cllr Coles said of local services: “Paid and unpaid carers do an incredible job supporting vulnerable residents and loved ones across the city.

“We will continue to work closely with the brilliant York Carers Centre to ensure we do all we can to support all our paid and unpaid carers.

Cllr Jo Coles (Image: City of York Council)

“Because we know that without their dedication, commitment and hard work, council support services would be in an even more challenging position.”

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The CQC report said nationally that ‘some people who pay for their own care at home have had to cut back on visits to support their basic needs’.

One homecare provider told CQC: “Due to the cost if living crisis and increased fuel prices, we have had to increase the rates for service users.

“The outcome was that some people have reduced their care visits to a minimum and this has impacted on their quality of life.”

Natasha Curry, deputy director of policy at the Nuffield Trust, said: "Means testing thresholds haven't changed since 2010, so fewer people qualify for public funding, and those who pay for their own care are finding it to be more expensive due to inflation.

"Many self-funders are forced to make the difficult decision to reduce the care visits and packages that they access because costs are too high."

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a further £4.7 billion in funding for adult social care up to 2024-25 in last year’s autumn budget.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “The Government has made available up to £8.1 billion over this year and next to strengthen adult social care provision.

“This funding will enable local authorities to buy more care packages, help people leave hospital on time, improve workforce recruitment and retention, and reduce waiting times for care.

"The new funding represents a more than real terms increase and data published last week showed that spending on adult social care has increased in real terms for eight consecutive years."