'Quick wins for funding care must be acted upon now'

12/03/2010

Counsel and Care, the national charity working with older people, their families and carers to get the best care and support, has welcomed the Health Select Committee’s report into social care, but calls for interim measures suggested in the report to be taken up and implemented as soon as possible.
 
The report calls for four key changes:
 
• A universal deferred payments scheme so that people are not having to use their capital to pay for care home fees following the 12 week disregard period;
 
• An increase in the capital threshold in the means test to protect people of modest means;
 
• For the Personal Expenses Allowance that is paid to care home residents to be doubled;
 
• A ‘cap’ to limit people’s liability to pay for care from one’s own resources before they are entitled to state support.
 
Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, said: “The care system is in crisis. This generation of older people cannot afford to wait until the national care service is implemented.  Older people need care and support to be improved today.

“By implementing the interim measures immediately, older people using care services and their families can be reassured that their needs are being addressed in a better and fairer way.

“The forthcoming White Paper on the future of care - due later this month - must answer the longer term concerns of the Select Committee. It must be clear what care people will get and how much they and their family will be required to contribute.

“We need to end the postcode lottery in care and work together towards delivering a care and support system in this country that everyone can be proud of.”