The “catastrophic unintended consequences” of the Budget will be a disaster for hospitals and care homes in Ceredigion, say social care leaders.

That was the warning from Care Forum Wales (CFW), which represents 500 private and charity social care providers, as it launched a new campaign, Save Social Care, Save the NHS.

According to CFW, the combination of employers’ National Insurance Contribution (NIC) increases and the rise in the Real Living Wage will lead to a £150 million black hole in funding in Wales as a whole and dramatically impact on care homes and providers in West Wales.

CFW chair Mario Kreft MBE said: “The changes, which amount to a tax on care, threaten to become a national emergency.”