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service provision

recognises and respects diversity and
plurality in the social process of care.
Finally, it argues against inequalities in
the giving and receipt of care. It
recognises these inequalities may be
constituted through different
characteristics, including sex, disability,
age, ethnic origin, nationality, class and
occupational status, sexuality, religion and
marital status.
Care requires time, financial and
practical support and the recognition
of choices. These extend beyond income
maintenance, benefits and social services
to include public space, transport and
policies to address discrimination
and poverty.

A department of social care?
To prevent a collapse of the social care
system, I would argue for the creation of a
single government department
responsible for just social care.
Such a department would establish the
principles and guidelines for social care. Does doctor know best when it comes to running services? Health and social care have different
Furthermore, the operation of the system roles and priorities
would be devolved to regional councils in
a system comparable to that in Sweden, ● ●Public support – the knowledge that created, then we need to seek micro
which existed in the UK before 1974. It’s the money paid on taxes will go directly solutions which foster localism and
worth noting that reorganisation in 1974 to some needed service (social care) community endeavour and enable people
was intended to reduce the amount of can help to reduce the dissatisfaction to truly take back control of their lives.
money spent on public services and to of the population with an increase If such action is not taken, there is a
ensure increased efficiency, neither of in taxes strong probability that an Americanised
which was achieved. ● ●Protecting resources – earmarking can health and social care system will emerge,
The establishment of a central protect resources for financing social which fails the overwhelming majority of
government department of social care can care from being spent on something else. the population but has minimal impact on
happen only if sufficient financial If taxpayers are aware that a dedicated the moneyed few.
resources are made available. In my amount is set aside to fund a particular The kind of reforms briefly touched on
opinion, the best option would be to service, such as social care, there is a high here are unlikely to be brought about by
increase income tax in a discriminating probability that they will be supportive of any of the major political parties.
manner – as in Scandinavia – or to such a measure. However, as a result of the fractious and
introduce a social care tax. The UK is It would be incumbent upon the fracturing pressures within the different
behind the overwhelming majority of government to demonstrate that the political parties over brexit, we may see
western European countries in the hypothecated tax was being used for the the emergence of a new progressive
amount allocated to social expenditure; it purposes agreed. political alliance with a radical and strong
was the only rich eU country to cut community-oriented agenda. There is
welfare spending as a proportion of GDP Collapse and its consequences then a glimmer of hope. n
between 2011 and 2014. Unless major reforms of the kind very ● You can download Robin Jackson’s full
A strong case has been made by for briefly touched upon here are report, Reforming Social Care, published
Berit/Wikimedia Commons; Alex Proimos/Wikimedia Commons
introducing a hypothecated tax where the implemented, there is a high probability by the Centre for Welfare Reform at www.
revenues from the tax go to financing a that social care in England will collapse. centreforwelfarereform.org/news/
particular service such as social care The consequences of that for the social report-on-hore-published/00370.html
(Keable-elliott, 2014). This approach has a fabric of the country will be disastrous.
number of advantages: For a society already characterised by Robin Jackson is an author and
● ●Transparency – hypothecated taxation increasingly sharp social divisions, the loss commentator on social care and learning
makes the link between revenues from of an effective social care system to disability and a visiting research fellow at
taxes and government spending more support the disadvantaged could well the University of Hertfordshire
visible prompt civil unrest and disorder.
● ●Accountability and trust – hypothecated The problem has been that successive Keable-elliott I (2014) Hypothecated Taxation
taxes may help when the government is governments of all political persuasions and the NHS. London: CentreForum
not trusted. With hypothecation, the have misguidedly placed their faith in Williams F (2003) Reforming Social Care.
government will have to follow a plan solving problems by attempting macro Paper presented to the Annual Conference of
made in advance and will have no solutions, none of which have worked. the Finnish Social Policy Association, 24
flexibility If a genuinely caring society is to be October 2003

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 31 No 4 | Summer 2018 23