London Councils is thanking the ‘festive force’ of 22,000 care workers set to support vulnerable Londoners on Christmas Day.
Around 216,000 people work in adult social care in London and it is expected that at least 22,000 will be working on Christmas Day itself.
An estimated 130,000 Londoners have long-term care needs. The majority are aged 65 or older, but there are also many working-age Londoners with disabilities who receive support.
Cllr Raymond Puddifoot MBE, London Councils’ Executive Member for Health & Care, said:
“Boroughs provide essential services that cannot close for Christmas – including the adult social care that so many Londoners rely on.
“On behalf of all the boroughs, I’d like to thank the thousands of council care workers who will be supporting Londoners on Christmas Day. They are a festive force for good, making a crucial difference to the wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable members of our community.
“But we can all do our bit to check on those at risk of social isolation over the festive period. Even a simple gesture like popping round to visit a neighbour can have an impact.”
London boroughs commission and provide adult social care services for older and disabled people, including day centres, home care and residential care. These services ensure that Londoners with the highest needs can live independent and fulfilling lives.
Even though London has a generally younger population than the rest of the country, the number of Londoners aged 65 and older is expected to increase by 71% by 2039 – a faster rate than any other region in England.
London also has a higher proportion of people of working age requiring social care. For example, the number of working-age Londoners with a learning disability is expected to increase by 7.8% by 2035 and with impaired mobility by 14%.
