A new £48m package of funding to support social care in Wales has been announced by the Welsh Government today.
The majority of the funding, £40m, has been allocated to local authorities and will be used to help the social care sector meet the ongoing challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
A further £8m will fund a number of specific priorities, including extending the Carers Support Fund, tackling loneliness in older people, investing in the social care workforce’s wellbeing and in residential services for care experienced children.
Commenting, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan said:
“We place huge value on social care in Wales and we ask a lot of the sector. It is facing significant pressures as a result of the pandemic and, just like our NHS staff, the workforce is exhausted from working so hard for so long.
“This new funding recognises the challenges the sector is facing and will help to address some of the financial pressures it faces. It also includes new funding to invest in priority areas to improve services, in line with our ambitions and commitments.
“We will continue supporting social care in Wales and, as we recover from the pandemic, will build a strong and resilient social care sector.”
Groups supporting older people to engage with their communities and helping to tackle loneliness will receive £220,000 from the fund, with the Welsh Government saying that older people take an active role in social groups within their communities.
The fund will reintroduce them to the activities they were taking part in pre-Covid, rebuild their confidence and help them re-engage with their communities after the pandemic.
The Welsh Government’s Minister for Finance and Local Government, Rebecca Evans added:
“We are fully committed to supporting health and social services to recover from the pandemic and move beyond it.
“The funding we are announcing today is part of a broader package that will help services like these manage the ongoing effects of Covid and deliver high-quality care for people."
