The number of individuals calling helplines to arrange social care provision, such as personal care, protection or social support services, has risen by 84% in two years, according to a new report.

The findings also highlight an increase in demand for advice on charging and paying for social care over the last two years, rising by 45%. More people are contacting helplines after they were left with far less income due to local council increasing their charges due to budget pressures and a lack of funding.

The demand for advice for unpaid carers also rose by 394% in two years as helplines received calls from individuals with problems struggling to cope with their caring responsibilities.

There was a significant spike in the number of calls recorded as early as March 2020, when the pandemic first began to affect the country, and has continued to rise in many areas of social care since that point.

Kari Gerstheimer, chief executive of Access Social Care who have conducted the study, said: “The demands on local authorities to provide social care are rising, whilst funding to pay for care and support has not increased at the same rate. The staggering rise in calls into charity helplines is symptomatic of underfunding from central government. Every day millions of older and disabled people are going without the social care they need and have a right to.

“As local councils increase their charges to stay on top of budget restrictions, delay and deny people care to balance their books, more and more people are contacting helplines asking for help. Something has to change. Without extra funding from the government, the system cannot cope.”