Many people have contacted me recently regarding care for people with dementia. Improving the quality of social care is a vital part of providing dignity in older age and support for people living with a long-term condition.

However, the Government has no plan on this issue and is failing to take the immediate action required to find a long-term and sustainable solution to social care funding.

The Chancellor’s Autumn Budget failed to offer any additional funding nor make any mention of social care entirely. In December, the Government confirmed that it will not implement its plans for a cap on care costs in 2020, and has also delayed its green paper on social care until summer 2018, despite promises that this would be published by the end of 2017.

The Alzheimer’s Society have expressed the feeling of many that the Government is neglecting social care and that people with dementia will rightfully feel betrayed and abandoned as a result.

At the General Election, I stood on a manifesto that promised an extra £8 billion to tackle the funding gap in social care, including an additional £1 billion for the first year. This would have extended publicly funded social care to thousands of people in highest need.

I can assure that I and my Labour colleagues will keep up pressure on the Government on this issue and I hope the Chancellor will use the upcoming Spring Budget to provide the required funding for social care.