Care in the community: a study of services and costs in six districts

Drawing on evidence collected from all providers of community care in 6 districts, this study finds: 1. Total public expenditure on all services for community for community care client groups distributed across providers as follows: DHAs – 52% Local authorities – 34% DHSS benefit payments – 11% Private/voluntary sector – 3% The split varies widely between districts. 2. Per capita public spending on all community care client groups varies from £100 to over £170 in the districts studied. 3. 54% of all public expenditure on community care client groups goes on services to the elderly, about one fifth each to mental illness and mental handicap services, and less than 5% to services for the physically disabled. 4. The balance of care is still dominated by hospitals and other institutional facilities, which command 73% of all publically provided resources being directed towards the client groups. In the DHAs, 85% of all client group spending went into institutional provision. From all providers, the expenditure on community services for the client groups is in the region of £22 per head of population.