Burnley MP challenges the Government to provide more funding for dementia care

Burnley MP Julie Cooper has called on the Government to provide more funding for dementia care in the next spending review.
Burnley MP Julie Cooper speaking in Westminster HallBurnley MP Julie Cooper speaking in Westminster Hall
Burnley MP Julie Cooper speaking in Westminster Hall

The impact of local government funding cuts has been significant for the social care sector. Since 2010, local authorities have often been relying on NHS cash transfers and authority pooled budgets to prop up funding owing to £15 billion in cuts nationally.

Across England Adult Social Care budgets have reduced 10% in real terms since 2010/11.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In a special Westminster Hall debate in parliament on Tuesday Mrs Cooper argued: “Dementia is a life-changing disability that affects millions of people in the UK. Some 850,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with dementia, including more than 1,000 people in my constituency of Burnley.

"More than 24 million people have a friend or family member who lives with dementia, and that figure is increasing all the time.”

“The situation is urgent, and now is the time for the Government to listen. As part of the comprehensive spending review, the Government must introduce a dedicated £2.4 billion dementia fund to cover the additional costs of delivering dementia specialist care.”

More than 1,000 people in Burnley and Padiham suffer from dementia and that figure is expected to rise in coming years as the UK population continues to age.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Alzheimer’s Society estimates that dementia costs the UK economy £26.3 billion a year. People with dementia shoulder over two thirds of the care costs, around £17 billion a year.

Burnley Dementia Action Alliance is working to make Burnley a Dementia Friendly Town. For more information https://tinyurl.com/y473hfnk.