Dimensions responds to Budget 2020

The priorities set out in today’s Budget are understandable and welcome given the pressures being placed on public services by the threat of coronavirus.

Nonetheless, there is a pressing need to address ongoing and growing pressures on adult social care, which will only deepen in the face of immediate threats.

We continue to support the government’s commitment to developing a cross-party solution to social care reform and hope that the promise to progress talks in the first 100 days of government will be fulfilled. The spending commitments announced last year for social care were much needed, but did not go far enough to address the substantial £1.5 billion funding gap in adult services.

Many people who have a learning disability and autism need social care every day to lead healthy and fulfilling lives and delay in dealing with funding reform is a delay to securing wellbeing, equality and inclusion for the thousands of people who need social care support.

We urge government and parliamentarians to come together to resolve long-standing issues in adult social care and ensure better lives for people who have a learning disability and autism.