Local authorities have taken more than 1,000 people to court for social care debt over the past two years, according to GMB.
A new analysis by the union has revealed at least 166,835 people are trapped in debt for their social care.
The findings, which are based on freedom of information requests submitted to every council in Britain, also revealed 1,178 people have been taken to court by local authorities for social care debts.
‘These stark figures show the UK’s social care ticking timebomb has now blown a gaping hole in families’ finances,’ said Sharon Wilde, GMB national officer.
‘The fact more than 1,000 people have been taken to court because they’re unable to pay for their own care – or that of their loved ones – shows the system just isn’t working.’
The analysis also discovered that more than 78,000 have debt management procedures started against them by their authority for non-payment of social care charges.
GMB also said the Government needed to produce a ‘coherent strategy for funding social care now and in the future.’
