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Mental health services are under significant pressure and face challenges to keep up with increasing demand.

Responding to the Centre for Ageing Better’s ‘State of Ageing in 2020’ report, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “This latest report is another important warning that the impact of coronavirus could have far reaching consequences for everyone, from all ages and backgrounds. “Councils play a crucial role in improving and maintaining their residents’ health and wellbeing, including for older people. During this incredibly difficult period, councils want to continue doing all they can to ensure our older people have access to the

“Every part of the care and support sector is under intense pressure due to the current crisis and councils are doing all they can to support carers and those they care for through this."

“The Government needs to do more to help unpaid carers who are the backbone of care and support and provide invaluable support to their loved ones.”

“Unpaid carers provide vital support for thousands of people every day, which councils fully recognise and want to help in any way they can."

"We continue to call for a dedicated workforce strategy, to promote, protect, support and develop careers in social care."

“The success of the rollout so far is a reflection of the ongoing close partnership between care home managers, councils and the NHS, in line with protecting those in the first four priority groups."

"The recent funding announcements came as a disappointment for many councils, with more than half of the areas that applied for more support receiving no funding and over a third of the country’s population missing out."

“Modern slavery is a despicable crime and a rising threat to our communities. We are working with councils to increase awareness and understanding of modern slavery, to help them identify these ruthless profiteers and rescue their victims from lives of servitude, including those working at hand car washes for little or no pay."

"It is vitally important that councils retain oversight of the activities allowed in their local areas so that they can manage different interests, including the need to contain COVID-19, accessibility issues, the interests of local residents and any competing demands between different businesses."