The Communities and Local Government Committee will be looking at the financial sustainability of local authority social care and will be inviting care providers, local authorities and Government ministers to give evidence at public sessions.

It also expects to hear from organisations representing carers and care users themselves and is inviting them to submit written evidence by Friday, August 19.

Gail Scott-Spicer, CEO of Carers Trust, said:

“We will be making our views known to the inquiry, as still not enough is being done to support carers through the social care system. Supporting carers makes sense for local authorities as it also means supporting the people they care for, which in turn relieves the pressure on overstretched social services budgets.  Yet we know many carers are not receiving the support they desperately need and which they were promised under the new Care Act Legislation.

“Cuts to social care budgets have contributed to the closure of some of the local services in our network which further highlights the need for social services to have proper long-term funding.

“We do not believe that the additional two per cent social care precept announced in the Spending Review is sufficient to meet demand on social services, including carers. We urge national and local government to look at this as a matter of urgency and to bring forward the promised Better Care Funding for councils to relieve the current pressure on the health and care system.”

The inquiry will look at the quality and financial sustainability of care, including the impact of the 2015 Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement including the 2% council tax precept, the Better Care Fund, and the National Living Wage.

Written evidence can be submitted here.