Responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement on health and social care, Luke Pollard MP said:
“There has been a real health and social care crisis for many years in Plymouth. Even before the pandemic waiting lists were spiralling beyond two million people with more people waiting longer and longer in Plymouth for operations and to see a doctor. The Tories have cut £8 billion from social care while carers have been on poverty pay, with real problems recruiting in the south west.
“Our brilliant NHS and social care staff have been working their socks off and they deserve a proper pay rise, proper funding and reform
“I worry that the announcement today will not improve the quality of care. Unpaid family carers will still be pushed to breaking point and working age adults with disabilities will have no more control over their lives. But now a poorly paid care worker will pay more tax for the care they are providing without a penny more in their pay packet or a secure contract.
“The new tax rises mean a rich landlord renting out dozens of properties wouldn’t pay a penny more, but their tenants working full time jobs would. And it will another burden on business just as they are trying to get back on their feet.
“I wanted to see Ministers work cross-party to solve the social care crisis, but instead they’ve published a half-baked plan without a fair funding plan. As it stands, I will vote against a plan that unfairly targets young people and key workers with high taxes and doesn’t fix the problems in our care system. Those working in care and those needing care really deserved much better.”