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“The coronavirus outbreak will severely test and stretch our social care workforce, who already do a tremendous job in the face of extreme pressures.”

“We need a new national focus on helping everyone stay mentally well, including those affected by COVID-19, backed-up by funding for councils to spend with the voluntary and community sector on meeting local mental wellbeing needs."

"With housing for elderly people currently accounting for just 6 per cent of our existing stock, and more older people and families renting privately than ever before, there needs to be a national focus on tackling a chronic shortage of homes suitable to support our ageing population and reforms that will maintain and improve housing standards."

“Any decision on offering a booster jab later this year, to protect our most vulnerable from variants and flu ahead of winter, will be supported by councils and their directors of public health in our collective national effort to end the pandemic."

“This report adds to the stark evidence, highlighted by the pandemic, about what keeps people healthy and what else needs to be done to spend more years in good health."

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, responds to a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research calling for a new approach to public health and prevention.

“Properly funding social care and prevention measures not only helps councils with overly-stretched budgets offer the vital support that older and disabled people need, it also helps to prevent crises and cost pressures in the NHS by reducing the numbers of people who are admitted to hospital. 

These stark results are very worrying for councils, care providers and most importantly people who draw on care and support

“This analysis reinforces the urgent need to reform adult social care and deliver a long-term sustainable solution."

"As these figures show, more needs to be done to meet increasing demand and a huge amount of unmet need, with more than half a million adults estimated to have alcohol dependency, while a high proportion of those receiving treatment are living in the most deprived areas."