ADULT social care services are at breaking point, according to a new report.

Significant underfunding and rising demand has put these services under such immense strain that many people are not getting the help they need.

The Local Government Association stated that, since 2010, councils have had to bridge a £6 billion funding shortfall just to keep the adult social care system going.

The group also estimated that adult social care services could face a £3.5 billion funding gap by 2025.

This figure is just for maintaining current care standards - paying for extra requests, like the 1.8 million new requests for care that councils in England receive each year, would increase this gap considerably.

To address this crisis, the LGA has launched a nationwide consultation to figure out how to meet the rising demand and bridge the enormous funding gap.

Its newly-released green paper offers suggestions like increasing income tax for all taxpayers by a penny, increasing national insurance by the same amount, allowing councils to increase council tax by one per cent, or charging a social care premium for over-40s and working pensioners.

The LGA will present its findings to the government in the autumn in the hope of informing and influencing Westminster’s spending plans.

Coun Brian Ford, Swindon Borough Council’s cabinet member for adults, was approached for comment by the Adver but didn’t reply before the paper went to print.

Coun Ray Ballman, spokesperson for health and adult social care, said: “The Swindon Labour Group welcomes the LGA green paper for adult social care and wellbeing.

“As they have set out, adult social care matters and we cannot avoid the debate any longer about how we - as a society - fund services that enable everyone to lead the life they want to live.

“I would encourage everyone to engage in the nationwide consultation.”

The LGA wants to hear the views of citizens and organisations on how best to pay for care and support for adults and their unpaid carers,

The LGA also argued that increased spend on adult social care – which now accounts for nearly 40 per cent of total council budgets - is threatening the future of other vital council services like parks, leisure centres and libraries.

It suggested that short-term cash injections have not prevented care providers reluctantly closing their operations or returning contracts to councils and giving less choice and availability to a rising number of people with care needs.

The organisation also wants to put more emphasis on preventative, community-based personalised care to alleviate pressure on the NHS.

Coun Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Work to find a long-term funding solution for adult social care and support has been kicked into the long grass by successive governments for the past two decades and has brought these services to breaking point.

“It has created a deeply uncertain and worrying future outlook for people who use adult social care services now and the growing number of people who will need them in the future.

“We cannot duck this issue as a society any longer.

“We must fund it for the long-term so that people of all ages can be supported to live the life they want to live.

“Building a better society means ensuring that everyone receives the care they need to lead a good life: well, independent and at home for as long as possible. This process must start now.”

For more information and to take part in the consultation, visit futureofadultsocialcare.co.uk