Funding for carers will be cut, a new five-year Croydon Council strategy reveals.

At a cabinet meeting on Monday, October 10, Croydon Council cabinet member for health and adult social care Margaret Mead put forward the new strategy, which will see the budget for providing for carers cut by 10 per cent from next financial year.

This is on top of a 50 per cent cut in funding provided by South West NHS Trust Croydon in April, slicing almost £100,000 from the borough’s budget.

Labour Councillor Jane Avis attacked the plan.

She said: "This is making a strategy and hoping it fits the budget. This area is too important to play with.

"The budget has been cut by 10 per cent, but if you add in inflation of 4 per cent over the next five years it amounts to a 22 per cent cut. That is a huge reduction. It is very sad."

A carers is defined as anyone who provides regular unpaid help to family members, neighbours or friends who are dependent on them, and can refer to a child as young as five.

Changes to provision will see a single hub created where carers can get all information and advice available.

The council also wants to change the way carers receive funding with money provided directly to individuals so they meet their specific needs.

The plan follows consultation with care providers and carers themselves Coun Mead, who referred to carers as “the backbone of the health and care service” defended the proposal.

She said: “The hub will bring together all the organisations and support services. By working together they can massively reduce overheads and therefore reduce the budget.

“This is something we have consulted extensively about and the feedback we have had say they support this model.”