Charity Age UK has called on chancellor George Osborne to rescue the social care system in today’s Autumn Statement.
The charity said funding for social care had ‘failed’ and the whole system was on the ‘verge of collapse’.
Age UK said there needed to be enough investment in the system so it was ‘fully funded, and able to deliver care and support to older people who need it’.
Charity director at Age UK Caroline Abrahams said: ‘The core of the problem is that funding for social care has failed and is still failing to keep up with ever increasing demand, putting the whole system on the verge of collapse.
‘A great new system on paper is pointless unless there is sufficient funding in place.
‘Hospitals are full to bursting already and winter is still to set in so there will never be a better time for the Government to commit to meeting the true cost of a decent social care system than in the Autumn Statement.’