United Response: Spending Review Response

Thursday, 21 October 2010 12:00 AM

Today's Comprehensive Spending Review contained a mixture of good and bad news for adults with learning disabilities or mental health needs. While the £2 billion in extra funding for social care was a positive move, the fact that it is not ring-fenced means it is too soon to say whether already overstretched local authorities will be able to use it to offset the huge cuts they are facing overall. Similarly, there are serious concerns about whether the vast reductions in welfare may end up hitting people with disabilities disproportionately.

Still, it should be remembered that as significant as the Comprehensive Spending Review was, it was not the end of the matter. There is still a long road ahead, and local authorities will be wrestling with their budgets and where and how to make savings for many months to come.

That's why those of us in the voluntary sector who provide public services must keep striving towards the best possible outcomes for the people who rely on our support. Many organisations and individuals will be deeply worried and unsure of the future today, but we need to work together with everyone - the individuals affected, their families, the Government and local authorities - to find the most creative and efficient ways of delivering support and care to those who most need it.

None of this will be easy but we must do all we can to make it work for the sake of the millions for whom such services are a lifeline.

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