Staff shortages have forced more than half of councils in England to ration social care and support, a new survey has revealed.

President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Stephen Chandler, said: 'These are decisions that no one wants to take, and many are unacceptable.

'They are drastic measures and must not become the norm.

'The roots of this lie in the failure to fund adult social care sustainably over the past decade, and to recognise and reward properly the committed, courageous and compassionate people who work in it.

'Opportunities were repeatedly missed to ensure that adult social care would be robust enough to withstand the challenges posed by Omicron.

Any money that has been forthcoming - though welcome - has been too little, too late.'

ADASS called for social care to receive at least an extra £7bn funding a year and for a social care minimum wage equal to what the NHS pays for similar work.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Care staff are working incredibly hard and we are doing everything we can to support them including with a £462.5m recruitment fund, expanding the health and care visa scheme and our Made with Care recruitment campaign.'