Response to the Commission for Social Care Inspection's report The state of social care in England - 30.01.08

The report highlights the continuing reduction in state funded social care for the ever-increasing number of older people, meaning that access to good quality care is dictated by a postcode lottery.

IndependentAge welcomes the move towards personalised and individual budgets but hope that this does not deter older people from accessing social care services. Managing such budgets require access to full, accurate and up-to-date information about social care services, and access to information must be provided hand-in-hand for these budgets to meet the requirements of older people.

Nearly two thirds of our beneficiaries say that low level practical support, like help with household chores is key to their independence, yet it is unclear how such support will be provided in future. Older people want choice and control on the services they get but the lack of provision to meet their wishes ultimately impacts on the need for more intensive and costly interventions further down the line.

For more information and to download the report, visit Commission for Social Care Inspection's website