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The Tories have quietly confirmed plans to increase the main portion of council tax by up to 5% next year - in a bid to fund crippled social care.

Sajid Javid trumpeted the increase in cash for the struggling sector as part of his limited spending round.

But the money is not all coming from the government but from hard-pressed taxpayers.

Of the £1.5bn for social care, £500m has to be raised by councils rather than funding from government.

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell branded the move a "stealth tax" and said the Chancellor had smuggled it into the budget.

Tory cuts have hit funding by an average of 9% per person since 2010 leaving the system close to collapse.

And charities and experts dismissed the extra funds as a "sticking plaster".

The Shadow Chancellor said: "Sajid Javid should have been more straight forward in how it was announced and about how we are going to fund social care overall.

(Image: PA)

"It will go down like a lead balloon in local authorities."

Struggling families have already been hammered with years of above-inflation council tax rises after the government forced town halls to fill the gap left by Tory cuts.The average Band D home in England saw a total council tax rise of £78 in April this year.

Today's announcement could push that average even higher in April 2020.

The main "precept" rose by up to 6% for two years in some parts of the country - followed by a further 5% for some residents in 2019/20.

That is because councils that run social care - who make up most of your council tax bill - have for the last three years been allowed to raise bills by up to 2.99%.

They were then allowed to add up to 2% or 3% on top in individual years, dedicated to social care.

Director of the Resolution Foundation Torsten Bell agreed that the promised money would have limited affect on the crumbling system.

He said: "On social care this is more of the same ie short term sticking plaster of cash now and a promise of a real plan tomorrow. That record has been playing for 15 years..."

Social care has proved a huge political headache for the Tories.

(Image: PA)

Theresa May was accused of kicking the can down the road after she repeatedly delayed plans for a ‘green paper’ on social care.

Her blighted social care plans in the 2017 general election campaign were dubbed a “dementia tax” and blamed for the Tories losing their majority in the 2017 general election.

During the Tory leadership contest, Boris Johnson said he had a reform plan ready to go once he arrived in office.

But charities say the promises announced today and that funding for one year did not give the sector enough certainty.

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said: “We’re disappointed that the Government hasn’t done enough today to deliver the change so desperately needed by people with dementia and their families."

"Our pleas for an NHS Dementia Fund have yet to become funding commitments, despite the backing of hundreds of MPs and over 100,000 campaigners in the letter the Prime Minister received on Monday. £1 billion can only stave off the utter collapse of our social care system, neglected by successive Governments for so long.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

“On Monday the Prime Minister assured us that he will sort out dementia care, once and for all. He agreed that people with dementia must be treated the same as those with other health conditions.

"We now need to see concrete plans for reform that address the unfair and catastrophic care costs for people with dementia, and the daily battle that they and their families face to get the care and support they so badly need. “

The MS Society dismissed the money as a "stopgap measure that will just paper over the cracks."

Genevieve Edwards, Director of External Affairs at the MS Society, said: "Until we see a long-term funding solution, people with MS will continue struggling without basic care to eat, wash or dress.

"While there are no more planned welfare cuts next year, the support people have already lost from PIP continues to have a devastating impact, costing the Government more than they save – so it makes no financial sense to keep denying this support.



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“MS is relentless, painful and disabling, and thousands have been driven to misery during this decade of cuts.

"Both social care and disability benefits are vital lifelines that must be a priority for the Government."

Macmillan Cancer Support expressed concern at the short term announcement.

Dr Moira Fraser-Pearce, Director of Policy, Campaigns & Influence at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “We welcome the additional investment announced by the Chancellor for NHS and social care.

"However, a one-year spending plan is not enough to address the staffing crisis which is currently crippling these services and damaging the quality of care cancer patients receive.

"The longer we wait for a funded plan and the necessary reforms to grow and sustain the NHS and care workforce, the longer patients and hard-working professionals are being made to bear the brunt of the Government’s inadequate action on this issue.”

Research suggests 1.3 million pensioners live in areas with no available care home beds if they need one.

While a recent Age UK report found that the total amount of home care delivered has gone down by 3 million hours between 2015 and 2018.

The Local Government Association welcomed the increase in funds.

Cllr James Jamieson, Chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “We are delighted that today’s Spending Round has delivered a funding package of more than £3.5 billion for our vital local services next year.

"This is the biggest year on year real terms increase in spending power for local government in a decade and will allow councils to meet the rising cost and demand pressures they face in 2020/21.

“The LGA has worked hard to demonstrate to the Government the financial pressures facing councils next year. We are pleased it has responded to our calls and acted by providing desperately-needed new money next year, including £1 billion for social care and £700 million for children and young people with special educational needs.

"This will help councils as they strive to ensure older and disabled people can live the lives they want to lead, support our most vulnerable young people and allow them to continue to improve local areas.

“Confirmation that key grants will also continue next year provides much-needed stability for councils.

"The ability to levy an adult social care precept again next year helpfully gives them the potential to raise a further £500 million to help people in our communities who need care and support.



“Today’s Spending Round has provided councils with much of the certainty they need about how local services will be funded next year.