Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council said: "I want to say a big thank you to the care providers who joined our Adult Social Care Trade Associations round table yesterday.

"It was a constructive and robust conversation, reflecting the real pressures facing both providers and KCC, and everyone in the room reinforced our shared commitment to work together to support the people of Kent who rely on care and support.

"We are committed to being honest about the financial reality. The cost of care continues to rise, but funding from central government is not keeping pace. Adult social care now accounts for just under 50% of the council’s total budget, but this provides services for only approximately 4% of the Kent population.

"Kent is also seeing cost and demand pressures in parts of the care market rising much faster than the national average - for older people's residential and nursing care we have seen an increase of about 80% since 2021.  This makes close partnership working with providers, putting people before profit and a fairer funding settlement for local government more important than ever."

Source & picture credit: Kent County Council