Responding to the Local Government Association’s survey of members and their Section 114 fears, Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisation Disability Group (VODG) says:
'The LGA's latest survey results is a stark reminder of the significant funding pressures councils, and therefore the charities and communities they work with, face.
'The LGA estimates councils in England face a £4 billion funding gap over the next two years just to keep services standing still.
'The government has consistently failed to respond to the funding pressures councils and charities are evidencing. The Autumn Statement was a missed opportunity to provide a surer footing for social care and the growing number of people who rely on social care support.
'Instead councils are unable to meet the legal requirement to balance their budgets, while charities are facing the incredibly hard reality of handing back contracts due to inadequate funding. Enough is enough.
'It is paramount that the government ensures the local government settlement provides enough funding for councils to meet the needs of their local communities. The demand for social care is only increasing, to keep ignoring and underfunding provision is failing millions of disabled people and their families who deserve better.'
Notes
- The LGA survey can be found here: https://www.local.gov.uk/about/news/section-114-fear-almost-1-5-council-leaders-and-chief-executives-after-cashless-autumn
- VODG members fed into the recent NCVO research on the true cost of giving support to public services which found 73% of charities are unable to meet current demand for the public services they deliver. While underfunding is not a new problem, the impact of continued high inflation has put charities delivering public service contracts at crisis point: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/news-and-insights/news-index/true-cost-of-public-service-delivery/