Most senior councillors are worried social care reforms will make council services worse rather than better, according to the results of a new survey.
The survey of lead members for adult care by the Local Government Association (LGA) found councils are becoming increasingly concerned about the capacity and financial resources required to deliver the Government’s reform agenda.
It found 86% are calling for the reforms to be delayed, warning they are unable to deliver the changes within the current climate and to the current timescale.
Chairman of the LGA’s community wellbeing board, David Fothergill, said: 'The reforms to the sector as they currently stand will make services worse rather than better if pushed through without the correct time and resource.
'Our survey found that 86% of lead members think that some or all the reforms should be delayed, and in response to these findings we have written to the secretary of state with our requests of reasonable adjustments to the timetable of implementation and to stress the unavoidable relationship between unfunded reforms and increased pressure on an already over-stretched system.'
A survey by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services this week found almost 300,000 people are now waiting for an assessment of their needs by social workers.
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee also said the Government was not even close to ‘rescuing’ social care.