What is really going on in politics? Get our daily email briefing straight to your inbox Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

More than 3,000 social care services have fallen below standards for at least two inspections in a row - leaving elderly people at risk.

Labour found 3,302 services were rated ‘requires improvement’ or ‘inadequate’ by the Care Quality Commission - despite falling below standards at their last CQC inspection.

The party unveils the figure, equal to around 13% of care services, today as part of a pledge to invest £8billion in care over the course of a Parliament.

In almost 700 cases, the rating fell from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘inadequate’, Labour said.

Homes can be rated inadequate for lacking safeguarding measures or safe staffing, failing to analyse when things go wrong, or having “little concern” for patients’ privacy.

(Image: PA)

It came as Labour demanded more cash for social care and warned Tory council cuts have triggered a “crisis” in a Commons debate.

Shadow Care Minister Barbara Keeley warned MPs social care risked passing the “point of no return”.

She added: “Cuts mean providers have less money to pay staff, invest in training or facilities, leading them to get trapped in a cycle of poor quality care.”

The figures included both nursing and residential care homes.

CQC chief inspector Andrea Sutcliffe said most inadequate services have improved but the figures were “not good enough”.

She added: “Quality of care in this vital sector is precarious and it is essential that the problems we see are addressed.”

Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, blamed “inconsistent” CQC reports but also “chronic underfunding.”

“We now have home closures due to a shortage of nurses and registered managers,” she told the Mirror.

“It cannot be right that an individual can be in a hospital bed for a week and cost the state over £2,000, but if they go into a care setting with exactly the same care needs the can’t even get £500.

“It’s wrong and it needs to be addressed.”

Ms Keeley told MPs said “paltry” Tory pledges after years of “swingeing” cuts are “nowhere near enough to avert the crisis this government has created.”

She added: “Local authorities are now facing some of their greatest challenges just to make ends meet.”