Catherine  called on the Care Minister to an end the dither and delay on social care and for the Government to bring forward their promised proposals to fix social care – 700 days on from Boris Johnson’s promise on entering Downing Street that he had “a clear plan to give every older person the security and dignity they deserve”.

During a debate on social care, Catherine highlighted that the “pandemic has starkly demonstrated the unequal footing of social care alongside the NHS in this country” and that “according to Age UK 1.5 million older people are going without the care they need”.

The Newcastle North MP further outlined that “people living in areas with a low council tax base, like Newcastle, have seen their local council tax precepts rise as the Government has shifted the burden of paying for social care onto those that can least afford it”.

Catherine said “that the time for excuses is over” and called on the Government to “stop making empty promises so that we can start building the much needed cross party consensus on this issue”.

Following her comments Catherine stated:

“The social care system has been broken for many years, and the pandemic has starkly brought home this reality.

“We rightly came together to clap for carers, but the Government need to step up and fix the system. It’s fragmented and the Government have shifted the cost of social care onto local Council Tax payers, which further embeds inequalities in areas like Newcastle. Our dedicated care staff are overworked, underpaid and under valued.

“700 days ago, the Prime Minister stood on Downing Street and promised he had a plan ready for social care. He is now long overdue to deliver on his promise – those needing care and hardworking care staff have waited long enough”.