Charities and campaigners have claimed the adult social care system is in crisis (Image: Getty)
The landmark Social Care Green Paper was heralded as a cure for a system no longer able to cope. But publication has been delayed six times, prompting exasperation from those struggling to treat a rapidly ageing population. Since March 8, 2017, the number of over 65s to have died after making a request for support, but before receiving services, stands at 64,367, equal to 77 a day, according to Age UK analysis.
The charity's Caroline Abrahams said: "No one can say how many might have lived had they received the help they were due.
"But at the very least their final days and hours were less comfortable than they could have been. "Many are now openly questioning whether the document will ever see the light of day."
There are 1.4million older people with unmet social care needs.
However, when the Daily Express asked the Department of Health and Social Care for a categoric answer as to whether the document would be published within the next six months, it would not say.
Care provider and campaigner Mike Padgham said: "If the green paper is a priority, why has it been delayed for so long?
"There are no excuses. If it is a lack of parliamentary time then get the MPs to work late, do overtime, work on Friday or work into parliamentary recesses, as the rest of us do when we deal with priorities. If they are serious about properly tackling social care they would make time."
Jayne Connery, director of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable, said: "It is no surprise this Government has no end date identified for the production of the green paper.
"This is simply not a priority for ministers. Resolving the social care crisis is not a vote winner and therefore to be ignored until the looming social care disaster has reached critical levels."
Jeremy Hughes, chief executive at Alzheimer's Society, said: "The human cost of the endless delays to the green paper is appalling. The longer we wait for a funding plan for social care, the more people with dementia are left to struggle at the mercy of a broken system."
The Local Government Association said since 2010 councils have had to bridge a £6billion funding shortfall just to keep the adult social care system going. It estimates adult social care services face a £3.5billion funding gap by 2025, just to maintain existing standards.
Campaigners want the green paper to
