The way Norfolk's most vulnerable people are looked after could be set for major changes - but council bosses insist a survey on adult social care is not a smokescreen for future cuts.
Norfolk County Council spends almost £250m a year on adult social care, such as supporting people at home and in residential care.
Recent years have seen a move away from costly residential care to supporting people in their own homes, as the Conservative-controlled authority looked to reduce costs and keep people independent.
But the authority recently outlined how it needs to cut £64.2m from the adult social care budget by the end of 2028.
And, with long-delayed government adult social service reforms - including a new cap on how much people spend on their own care over their lifetime - due by 2025, the county council is trying to figure out how it will provide care.
The council is spending £6.5m on consultants Newton Europe to consider that and the council has launched a survey, called Conversations Matter.
Alison Thomas, the council's cabinet member for adult social care, said: "In Norfolk, we have a changing and growing population, so we have to plan for our services to be long-lasting and financially stable.
"We have more people needing our help and we need to make sure we have the right plans in place so that we can support them in the right way.
“To help us plan, we’d like as many people as possible to take part in Conversations Matter."
READ MORE: Care home standards in Norfolk spark county council concerns
The council says the survey - at www.norfolk.gov.uk/conversationsmatter until September 1 is not linked to budget savings, but is about future strategy, amid national reforms and increasing demands.
Brian Watkins, leader of the Liberal Democrat group at County Hall, urged people to take part, but said the government must tackle the wider issue.
He said: "Our adult social care service is under huge and growing pressure and is at breaking point, yet the government still treats adult social care like a Cinderella service compared to the NHS."
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