17.01.12
DH insists care costs are still under discussion
The Department of Health has refuted claims that elderly people may have to pay up to £60,000 for care – almost double the figure recommended by the Dilnot Commission.
The recommendation appears in a report led by senior DH civil servants and care and support organisations called Caring For Our Future, which says: “A cap of around £50k to £60k is the right ‘tipping point’ to motivate and enable people to plan and prepare. A higher cap, eg £100k, will seem unobtainable to people and will not stimulate development of financial services.”
But care services minister Paul Burstow told reporters: “It is wrong to say we plan to force elderly people to pay £60,000 for care. We are continuing to look at the whole system, which is outdated, unfair and in urgent need of reform, and will set out our plans in spring in the white paper.”
A cap of £35,000 on the amount the elderly or disabled pay for care was proposed in July last year by the Dilnot Commission.
Currently, there is no cap on care costs, and many rely on equity from their homes to help meet high bills. Under the current system, those with assets of more than £23,250 have to meet the full cost of a care home.
Michelle Mitchell, Age UK’s charity director, said that the charity strongly supported a cap on care, believing it “would help people to plan for their care needs and provide the certainty that might encourage the financial services industry to introduce products that could help in that planning process”.
Cross-party talks on how to fund the growing cost of care for the elderly and disabled are due to start today. Discussions will include the health secretary Andrew Lansley, Paul Burstow, the Liberal Democrat state minister for care services, and Labour shadow secretary for health Andy Burnham.
The Caring For Our Future report is at www.wp.dh.gov.uk/caringforourfuture/files/2011/11/2011-11-21-Emerging-findings-Financial-Services-full-FINAL1.ppt#1082,2,Context
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]