THE MP for Taunton and Wellington, Gideon Amos, welcomed local care providers to Westminster as they took part in a mass rally outside Parliament.

The day of action on Tuesday, February 25, was in protest against the impact of the autumn Budget on adult social care.

The Providers Unite event lobbied MPs on the implications for the sector of the increases in employer National Insurance Contributions and the National Living Wage, which are due to come into force in April.

Thousands of people took part as they demanded more help in order to keep staff and stay afloat.

After meeting local protesters in Westminster Hall, Mr Amos said: “I want to pay tribute to all the care providers who came to Westminster today.

“Care and local health services are top of my agenda, as they are for the Lib Dems as a whole.

South West Lib Dem MPs supporting the social care protest at Parliament. Right to left, Gideon Amos, Caroline Voaden (South Devon), Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset), Adam Dance (Yeovil) and Andrew George (St Ives and the Isles of Scilly), with staff from Birdie, a provider of support services to the care sector
South West Lib Dem MPs supporting the social care protest at Parliament. Right to left, Gideon Amos, Caroline Voaden (South Devon), Anna Sabine (Frome and East Somerset), Adam Dance (Yeovil) and Andrew George (St Ives and the Isles of Scilly), with staff from Birdie, a provider of support services to the care sector (Photo: Gideon Amos MP Press Office)

"The rally here in London has helped shine a light on an often-hidden workforce.

“The government’s hike in National Insurance contributions, payable on every employee, is loading hundreds of thousands of pounds of cost on to nursing and care homes.

“Those homes can’t simply charge residents more – residents who are older and often very vulnerable people who simply don’t have any money. Government really must compensate providers for adding to their costs.

“We need cross-party agreement on a national care service - instead, 18 months ago the last government actually cut a full £1billion from funds earmarked for social care.

“Until this new government solves the care crisis, councils will continue to struggle, many of our private care providers will go bust and elderly people will find they don’t have the care they need.

“Providers uniting in London today help us as we take the message to the government that, having compensated GPs and hospices for increasing their taxes, they now need to support our care providers too.”