Long-term care spend ‘must soar’

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