West Sussex council spends hundreds of millions of pounds on adult social care

EMBARGOED TO 0001 THURSDAY NOVEMBER 3 File photo dated 7/10/2013 of the hands of an elderly woman at home, as a significant proportion of elderly people plan to cut back on the amount of money they spend on care amid the cost-of-living crisis, a new poll suggests.

West Sussex council spent hundreds of millions of pounds on providing adult social care last year as spending on services across England reached a record high, new figures show.

In his autumn statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a further £4.7 billion for adult social care up to 2024-25, aimed at aiding hospital discharge rates and freeing up beds, and providing local authorities with more money for services.

But health think tank Nuffield Trust said budgets are being stretched due to inflationary pressures, and the system needs long-term funding to address severe workforce and capacity shortages.

NHS Digital figures show total expenditure on adult social care in West Sussex was £395.8 million in the year to March.

Of this, £50.6 million was spent on council-run services, £345.1 million on external businesses offering adult social care, and a further £9,418.16 on grants to local charities to provide support.

The majority of the funding (81%) went towards providing long-term care.

West Sussex council can offset the amount it spends on providing care through various income and funding streams, such as investment from the NHS and joint arrangements