Harrogate care homes boss warns of 'underfunding' crisis after Chancellor's Spring Statement

Homes Together, which runs 13 homes in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon, said the fiscal and economic measures announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves overlooked the “chronic underfunding of social care”.

"Care providers need sustainable funding to continue delivering high-quality services,” said David Ashton-Jones, Chief Executive of Homes Together, which provides high quality, community based accomodation and meaningful daily activities, for young adults with learning difficulties and a visual impairment.

"The Government’s Spring Statement may focus on the economy, but it overlooks the chronic underfunding of social care, which puts millions at risk.

"Ongoing financial uncertainty from local authorities, rising National Insurance costs, and welfare cuts add further strain on the sector.

“With 3.2 million families set to be affected by benefit reductions, many vulnerable individuals will struggle to access care, pushing even more pressure onto an already stretched system."

The social care sector has has warned of a funding cliff edge as public funding fails to rise to meet higher costs which may force care providers to close and leave thousands of vulnerable people and their families with nowhere to turn.

It’s a financial crisis which the Harrogate area is likely to feel the impact of, too, says the boss of Homes Together.

"Without urgent action, the funding shortfall will leave care providers unable to meet rising demand, especially in areas like Harrogate, where specialist care is crucial,” said David Ashton-Jones. "We need sustainable investment to ensure people with complex needs receive the support they require without adding further pressure to local health and social care services.

“Private care providers are already stepping in to fill the gaps left by underfunded public services, but we cannot do this without government support.

"Without realistic funding, long-term investment, and protection for those reliant on benefits, we risk a capacity crisis that could threaten the entire sector.”

Last November saw the Department for Health and Social Care allocate more than £600m of new funding for social care.

But this was dismissed as “inadequate” to needs.