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Spending on long-term care for older people will have to quadruple in real terms by the middle of the century to cope with the rising number of older people, according to a report.

The study, by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said the huge increase in funding would be necessary to meet the latest population projections from the government. These estimate the number of over-65s will rise by 81 per cent by 2051, including a 255 per cent increase in the number of over-85s to four million.


Researchers estimate total UK spending on long-term care will have to rise to £53.9bn by 2051. The number of places in residential care homes, nursing homes and hospitals will have to rise by about 150 per cent to 1.3 million.

JRF director Richard Best said: "The potential for a four-fold increase in spending identified by this report should make politicians and policy makers stop and think carefully."

- Report from www.jrf.org.uk