Together for Social Care: Providers, Service Users, and Supporters Rally for Fair Funding
Posted on 30 January 2025
On Wednesday, 29th January, crowds of people who support, use, work in, and volunteer across social care in West Sussex gathered outside County Hall, Chichester, to raise awareness of the precarious state of social care across the county.
Inside, the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Cabinet met to finalise the 2025/26 budget. While Cabinet members acknowledged the growing pressures on the sector and referenced additional government funding, they failed to account for the true cost increases facing providers, particularly the rising National Insurance contributions.
The Council assured attendees that their budget would not cut frontline services or require drawing from reserves—one Cabinet member even called it a “perfect” budget under the circumstances.
Social care providers dispute this claim, arguing that the budget fails to meet rising operational and staffing costs. In real terms, this shortfall amounts to a cut, threatening the availability and quality of care. While the Council may balance its books, the organisations delivering these services cannot—they are being pushed to the brink.
Southdown joined VCSE learning disability providers, care workers, and service users outside Chichester County Hall to demand fair funding for social care.
The Cost of Inaction
“Social care touches the lives of one in three people. Currently, 8,500 individuals in West Sussex rely on Council-funded support,” said Sue Livett, CEO of the Aldingbourne Trust.
“Without additional financial support, providers will struggle to cover increased costs—over £600 more per employee per year—leading to reduced services at a time when demand is rising.”
The consequences are stark:
- Reduced support for individuals who rely on these essential services.
- Staffing cuts and recruitment challenges in an already stretched workforce.
- Increased strain on health and housing services as social care weakens.
The Growing Crisis in Social Care
Social care providers, especially those supporting people with learning disabilities, face mounting financial pressures that jeopardise the sector’s sustainability. Key challenges include:
- National Insurance Increase: A 1.2% rise in employer contributions and a reduced threshold to £5,000 significantly impact payroll costs in a sector reliant on low-wage, part-time staff.
- National Living Wage (NLW) Increase: A 6.7% rise in the NLW benefits workers but puts further strain on provider budgets. Many organisations aim to pay the Real Living Wage, which has risen by 60p per hour, adding financial pressure.
- Unsustainable Contracts: Multi-year contracts without inflationary adjustments are eroding service viability. Meanwhile, inflation continues to drive up costs for utilities, supplies, and essential operations.
A Call for Immediate Action
The Sussex Learning Disability VCSE CEO Group—which includes Aldingbourne Trust, Southdown, Guild Care, Active Prospects, Grace Eyre, Amaze, Ferring Country Centre, and Speak Out—is calling for an urgent 8% fee uplift for learning disability services in 2025/26. This increase is essential to:
✅ Maintain adequate staffing levels
✅ Attract and retain skilled professionals with competitive wages
✅ Preserve the quality and sustainability of services
Neil Blanchard, chair of the Sussex Learning Disability group said:
“The role of our organisations is not to subside services that the local authority have a duty of care to provide and they’re contracting us to provide. Services already operate at the margins, and inadequate funding threatens the sustainability of the homes and support for individuals with learning disabilities.”
Without this commitment, services will decline, and the people who rely on them will pay the price.
For further information, contact centraloffice@aldingbourne.org.
