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Slicing up the pie: allocation of central government funding of care of older people

Darton, Robin, Forder, Julien E., Netten, Ann, Bebbington, Andrew, Holder, Jacquetta, Towers, Ann-Marie (2010) Slicing up the pie: allocation of central government funding of care of older people. Social Policy & Administration, 44 (5). pp. 529-653. ISSN 0144-5596. (doi:10.1111/j.1467-9515.2010.00728.x) (KAR id:34401)

Abstract

The allocation of central government funds is a critical element in the equitable provision of local authority?commissioned and ?provided services. A variety of approaches to allocating funding for social services for older people have been used over the years, most recently founded on ‘needs?based’ formulae. In 2004, the Department of Health for England commissioned research to help inform the improvement and updating of the formula. The results of individual?level analyses were compared with the results obtained from analyses of small area (ward?level) data on service users. Both analyses were affected by problems of data availability, particularly the individual?level analysis, and the Department of Health and the (then) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister decided that the formula calculations should be based on the results of the small area analysis. However, despite the differences in approach, both methods produced very similar results. The correlation between the predicted relative needs weights for local authorities from the two models was 0.982. The article discusses the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and developments that could allow a normative approach that would incorporate future policy objectives into formulae that, to date, have inevitably been based on historical data and service patterns.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/j.1467-9515.2010.00728.x
Subjects: H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
H Social Sciences > HM Sociology
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research
Depositing User: Robin Darton
Date Deposited: 25 Jun 2013 09:24 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:11 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/34401 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Darton, Robin.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8242-790X
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Forder, Julien E..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7793-4328
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Netten, Ann.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2567-8523
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Bebbington, Andrew.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Holder, Jacquetta.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Towers, Ann-Marie.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3597-1061
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
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