Social care bosses have written to the prime minister urging her to invest at least £1bn to stave off a growing crisis in services for elderly and disabled people and relieve pressure on the NHS.

People with severe, degenerative medical conditions such as Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis will no longer have to undergo regular tests to prove they remain eligible for disability benefits, ministers have confirmed.

Research released on Tuesday by the homeless charity St Mungo’s shows that four out of five (80%) rough sleepers who died in London in 2017 had mental health needs, an increase from three in 10 (29%) in 2010.

The charity is calling on the prime minister to take urgent action to prevent more people dying on the streets and ensure that no death goes ignored.

Seven in 10 carers have suffered mental health problems because of caring for loved ones, a grim report has revealed.

Seventy-two per cent have suffered mental ill health as a result of caring, while 61% said their physical health had worsened.

Sixty-nine per cent find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep and 54% have cut the amount of exercise they do.

Two in five expect to be able to provide less care or no care in the future because of poor physical health.

Social care services for vulnerable adults are on the verge of collapse in some areas of England, despite the provision of extra government funding, senior council officials have warned.

New integrated care models hampered by poor communication and an ‘acronym spaghetti’ of terms, report finds

The Commons health and social care committee has – over many years and under successive chairs – been concerned by the fragmentation and poor coordination of care and health services. Its latest report adds to this scrutiny, focusing on the approaches to developing new integrated ways of planning and delivering health and care services.

Increase of 19.2% leads to fears that busy NHS staff are missing warning signs

Shadow health secretary says party will examine how to banish privatisation and restore universal public NHS

The stated £1bn deficit is probably closer to £4bn. Yet a radical rethink of the system is needed – not more quick-fix cash bungs