1.2 million Public Sector Job Cuts will Deteriorate Services
- 08 Feb
It has been predicted that 1.2 million public sector jobs will be cut by 2017/18, and trade unions have warned that this will lead to a dramatic deterioration in councils services.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), have forecast in their Green Budget 2013 that an additional 300,000 jobs would need to be shed in the three years following the next fixed-term parliament in 2015, if government departments maintain the same trajectory of planned cutbacks.
The budget shows that government's plans will mean that departmental spending is forecast to be cut in real terms by 10.6% between 2010/11 and 2014/15. This would reduce departmental spending as a share of national income to 21.7% in 2014/15, the level it was back in 2002/03.
The report said:
If the government continued its protection of the NHS, schools and aid, other areas of departmental spending would be facing cuts of 12.7% over these two years, or a reduction in their real budgets of a third since 2010/11.
The start of the next Parliament therefore brings no end to the difficult decisions regarding the appropriate balance of taxation and spending and, within spending, between social security spending and public services and between different public services.This means the public sector is on course for far greater job losses than the 900,000 estimated over the spending review period by independent government forecasters the Office for Budget Responsibility.
Launching the IFS' Green Budget, IFS director Paul Johnson said:
If they are delivered, not only will they result in extraordinarily levels of cuts across public services, they'll also change very dramatically the shape of the state that is delivering them.
In response, Dave Prentis, Unison general secretary said the IFS forecast ‘is deeply worrying news for our economy and our society':
If one in six public sector workers lose their jobs, the public will get a dramatically worse level of service from their local council, hospital and even their local school.
Cheshire East Council have announced that around a fifth of their public sector jobs will be cut, as 1,000 out of a total 5,500 jobs will be necessary for their council. Craig Nicholson, Unison's Cheshire East branch secretary, said:
We are concerned not just about the staffing implications but the effect on services. [We have] grave concerns about the direction the council is heading in terms of the mass outsourcing of services, which we believe could lead to less responsive and more fragmented services.
There is a wealth of evidence that the private sector over-promises and under-delivers in terms of providing quality public services.
We believe that this will lead to reduced services to the people of Cheshire East. We are seeking urgent discussions with the council to try to minimise the numbers of jobs to be lost.Image source: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/82077
Related articles
- 26 Aug
Adults with vulnerabilities in custody are not receiving appropriate support
A report commissioned by the Home Office has said that lack of awareness and a shortage of trained volunteers means police often go ahead without on present, reports the BBC.Home Secretary Theresa...
- 11 Aug
Chief inspector warns cuts are affecting adult social care
Andrea Sutcliffe has said that many carers ended up being "the sort of care worker you wouldn't want them to be", reports the BBC.Adult social care budgets have been cut by £4.6bn since 2010 - a 31%...
- 04 Jun
Social care services for adults struggling due to budget cuts
There is a £1.1.bn shortfall to councils in England warns the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, and freezing care provider fees to save money is no longer sustainable, reports the...
- 03 Jun
People with vulnerabilities left at risk by policy makers
‘Solutions from the Frontline’, published by a coalition of charities looks into the ideas and experiences of service users. It investigates how the new government along with national and local...
- 20 Apr
Social landlords in Wales hope to save the NHS £1.7m
The savings will come from housing 33 patients under the care of the Aneurin Bevan University health board, through a project called ‘In One Place.' This project places patients who have a mental...
- 17 Apr
New supported housing service for people needing care after hospital
The service will provide supported accommodation for people who no longer need specialist medical care, but who are no longer able to return home due to changes in their home care needs. It is hoped...
- 15 Apr
Proposal for an extension on the integration of health and social care in Staffordshire
Staffordshire County Council wishes to agree on a new deal which will help to improve integration between health and social care for its residents, reports ITV.The deal, if agreed, will extend the...
- 17 Mar
Older people and people with disabilities finding it hard to get state funded care
Social services leaders are warning that many people with disabilities or older people with care needs are facing the challenge of having to pay for their own support at the end of the next...
- 11 Nov
The number of people using food banks has risen by 1,468%
Latest figures by the Trussell Trust show that 913,138 adults and children have received three day's emergency food and support from its food banks over 103/14 which is an increase of 346,992 since...
- 30 Oct
Support for patients with vulnerabilities with eased pressure on hospitals
Teams of social workers and NHS staff will soon become available seven days a week under new care plans, reports the BBC.Ministers are predicting that pressures will ease on hospitals from April once...
Exempt Accommodation, Welfare Reform and Vulnerable Tenants Everything was extremely useful. I like to hear about the updated case law and how things are changing. Also like to hear other delegates examples and the responses to their difficulties. Support solutions are excellent. K.B- Jephson Housing Association
