The cost of social care

The government has " underestimated" the cost of delivering free social care, council chiefs say.

A poll of some 61 directors of social services has suggested providing care to those most in need can costs £200 a week this is almost double the government's current bench mark figure .

The poll estimate that people who fall into the most critical bracket need six and a half hours of care, but the evidence provided by the survey suggests it is double that.

It means in blunt figures that councils would have to find more than £500m a year - on top of the £420m provided by government - to fund the new scheme if it comes into place in the autumn as forecast.