HC Deb 28 July 1981 vol 9 c431W
Mr. Carter-Jones

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give his best estimate of the total cost of social service provision by local authorities for the elderly; if he will give a breakdown of home help and meals-on-wheels services and residential home services; and if he will give an estimate of central Government contribution to such costs.

Sir George Young

Net current expenditure on the personal social services (including the use of joint finance from health authorities) in 1979–80, the latest year for which a breakdown by services is available, amounted to £1,335 million (1980 survey prices). Out of this total, it

Gross and Net Current Cost of Local Authority Services (England)
£ million at 1980 survey prices
Service 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net Gross Net
Residential care for the elderly and younger physically handicapped 349.7 231.4 360.0 238.8 370.9 238.5 386.9 248.4 398.4 267.0
Residential care for the mentally ill 8.1 6.0 8.8 6.5 9.4 7.0 10.1 7.6 10.9 8.4
Residential care for the mentally handicapped 32.7 26.6 37.6 30.6 42.1 34.0 45.9 37.0 50.6 41.6
Day Centres for the elderly 10.1 10.0 11.3 11.1 12.8 12.6 13.6 13.4 14.8 14.6
Mixed Day Centres (for the elderly, younger physically handicapped and the mentally ill) 23.5 22.9 25.6 24.9 26.5 25.5 28.2 27.3 29.2 28.1