Coronavirus: social care

Some of the most marginalised people in society will be in particular need of help while public services and community support networks are reduced during this crisis. And people whose families are no longer able to care for them due to the pandemic will need increased support from local authorities.

But these needs won’t be assessed and are very unlikely to be met because the Coronavirus Act has stripped back social care safeguards.

The requirement for local authorities to support carers and to make sure people’s basic needs, such as diet and access to services, are met are suspended – unless there is a potential breach of human rights.

But it is unclear how the Government proposes to make sure it is identifying these risks and preventing human rights breaches when the requirement to assess needs has been removed.

These measures threaten those most in need and will disproportionately impact older people and people with disabilities.

Stripping back people’s entitlement to social care – at a time when they may have heightened needs – is not an evidence-based or proportionate response to the pandemic.

The Government must overturn these reckless changes now.