Budget must provide sufficient speech and language therapy funding to meet soaring demand

Responding to the Local Government Information Unit’s report on the alarming financial situation in adult social care and children’s services  State-of-Local-Government-Finance-in-England-2024.pdf (lgiu.org), the RCSLT is calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt MP to use his forthcoming Budget to ensure that speech and language therapy services are provided with sufficient funding to meet the soaring levels of need.

RCSLT Chief Executive Steve Jamieson said: “This must include public health and preventative work, including supporting children’s early language skills, as well as identifying and supporting hundreds of thousands of other people across England who communicate differently or with difficulty, or having eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties.

“Timely access to speech and language therapy can transform lives – both in the short- and long-term. It reduces inequalities and provides long-term value to the economy.

“The need to invest in speech and language therapy services has never been more critical in delivering better lives for people and reducing the risks they face if they cannot access the support they and their families require.”