Ipswich to receive extra £200,000 from government for disabled home improvements

Why it matters: The funding aims to help more disabled and elderly people in Ipswich live independently in their own homes for longer, potentially reducing hospital admissions.

The details: The money comes from an increase to the Disabled Facilities Grant for this financial year.

• Suffolk will receive more than £1 million in additional funding, with Ipswich to benefit from a £200,000 boost

• The grant helps fund home improvements for disabled and elderly residents

• Nationally, the funding is expected to help 7,800 more people make home adaptations

What they're saying: Jack Abbott, MP for Ipswich, said: "This funding will be vital in supporting people in Ipswich and Suffolk to live at home with the dignity, independence, and quality of life that they deserve."

What's next: The government has announced several other measures affecting social care in Ipswich:

• Care workers will be trained to perform additional health checks, such as blood pressure monitoring

• A new digital platform will be developed to share medical information between NHS and care staff

• Career progression pathways will be expanded for care workers

Looking ahead: An independent commission, chaired by Baroness Louise Casey, will be launched to examine the adult social care system. The commission will:

• Deliver initial recommendations by 2026

• Provide longer-term proposals by 2028

• Work towards creating a National Care Service

The bottom line: While the £200,000 funding boost will bolster efforts to support Ipswich's disabled and elderly residents, broader changes to the social care system are expected over the next four years.