Just recently, in the first major speech by the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was announced that the Government would cancel in full a long discussed and proposed cap to individual social care costs.

Previously delayed until 2025, the new announcement confirmed the scheme is to be scrapped entirely. With good reason if we accept the argument of the local government which suggested that obligations for social care costs being met from local council budgets would open a vast black hole in the finances and lead to the potential bankruptcy of a number of councils. This may not come as a surprise to residents of Woking Borough Council of course but that doesn’t make the news any more palatable.

This cancellation means that care costs for thousands of us across England and Wales must be met in full by savings and assets until certain financial thresholds are reached.

Effectively, this means that any Surrey resident requiring care in the county will have to meet their care costs in full IF they have assets or savings to the value of £23,250 or more.

Whilst not such a surprise perhaps to residentis in Woking, it may be quite a surprise to many others across the county and will not help dispel the worry and concern that many families may be feeling at the moment.

This is however not the end of the bad news. There are continuing problems with staffing across the healthcare sector. The NHS, local Government supplied care services and the private sector are all struggling to both recruit and retain staff so we can provide the level of care our communities need.

The social care sector itself is currently short of 152,000 staff across both England and wales. It’s projected that by 2035, we will need an extra 440,000 staff. That is only 11 years away. Barely half a generation.

These figures are arrived at by work undertaken by a respected research group called ‘Workforce Intelligence’ in their report called ‘Skills for Care’, available in full for free online.

Private companies such as Visiting Angels that cover Woking and central and west Surrey are doing what they can to supply home care and support and will have to do more in coming years but it will require all of us collectively pooling resources, whether as paid care staff, volunteers or family members providing practical support or coming together to contribute ideas and discussions.

For our part as a care company, Visiting Angels will continue to provide care in the home as well as trying to reflect the views of our community through a series of articles and news stories in this newspaper to keep the discussion going. We are stronger together.

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