Implementing the Government's cap on care costs will be an 'enormous undertaking' for councils, the Local Government Association (LGA) has warned.
In a detailed briefing on the Government's social care plan, the LGA said the cost of the financial reforms will absorb a portion of the £5.4bn pledged for social care.
This would mean there is little or nothing to pay for other reforms such as new models of care, care worker pay and meeting unmet need, the briefing warned.
The LGA also said the plan contains far too little detail and fails to help millions of people ‘here and now’. It added it was 'deeply troubling' the Government seemed to be relying on council tax, the adult social care precept and long-term efficiencies to meet core costs.
Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: 'The Government’s long-awaited plan has some potential promise on how care is paid for and the contributions people themselves make, but has left open many more questions which need answering urgently.
'As it stands, it will not improve access to or quality of social care services, or provide an uplift on care worker pay, in the here and now which would better support people to live the lives they want to lead and in turn strengthen our communities.
'We need a cast iron commitment from government that the white paper, together with the Spending Review will result in a long term plan and a steady stream of investment into social care.'
A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'We are committed to the delivery of world-leading social care and the new £5.4bn funding for the sector will put in place comprehensive reforms that are sustainable and fit for the future.
'To support the sector through this global pandemic we have provided over £2bn in specific funding for adult social care, in addition to more than £6bn that has been made available to local authorities to address pressures on their services.
'We continue to work with the sector on social care reform and will publish further details in the White Paper later this year.'
