UP TO 30,000 jobs in the learning disability sector could be at risk in the next four years, a charity has warned.

In a report entitled It Doesn’t Add Up: The financial crisis crippling the social care sector, the learning disabilities charity Hft says the rising cost of adult social care services means providers are facing increasing financial pressures.

Among growing costs, it cites the National Living Wage (NLW) which will add £460m to wage bills in the learning disability sector by 2020. Because the social care sector has the highest proportion of staff aged over 25, it will more adversely affected by the NLW.

Robert Longley-Cook, Hft chief executive, said: “Hft wholeheartedly supports the introduction of the NLW. However we have grave concerns about its implementation at local and Westminster level. The social care sector is facing increasing demands. This situation is simply unsustainable.”

The charity is looking for a five per cent increase in funding per year for the social care sector until 2020. Hft carried out the research in conjunction with the Centre for Economics and Business