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Press Release

Individual Budgets Can Work But Choice Is Key, Says Help The Aged

26 February 2009

Reacting to a University of York report commissioned by the Department of Health, ‘Individual Budgets Pilot Projects: Impacts and Outcomes for Carers', Elizabeth Feltoe, Senior Social Care Policy Officer for Help the Aged says:

"This report shows that individual budgets in social care can be a tremendous help to some carers. Making carers part of the needs assessment of those receiving care is vital to supporting both those getting care and their families.

"What must not be forgotten is that choice is everything and some people will not want to use individual budgets. For some, individual budgets will mean finishing a long day looking after their loved one, only to be presented with further administration still to do. Five to six million carers currently save the economy £87 billion a year and the last thing we should be doing is making things harder for them. Councils will need to provide as much support, information and guidance as possible for carers with little time for paperwork.

"There is still a great deal of work to be done to make individual budgets a success. This report makes no mention of how individual budgets will work for older carers or older people needing care. Individual budgets can work and should be explored but they are not the silver bullet and further investment in social care is crucial for the future."



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