Charities demand reform to funding of older people’s care services

By Caroline Lovell on January 25, 2008 in Adults, Carers, Disability, Domiciliary care, Residential care, Workforce

Two-thirds of people in the UK are failing to save enough to cover the cost of social care in old age, according to the Right care Right deal campaign launched today.

The campaign was launched by Counsel and Care, Help the Aged and Carers UK to call for better funding for the care system for older people through a “clear, simple and sustainable deal entered in to by the state, community, family and individuals.”

A survey published for the campaign also found that two-thirds of people said they plan to rely on friends and family to look after them when they are old, rather than obtaining support from the council or private services.

While 70% of people in the survey of 1,000 adults said the government had failed to provide “adequate support” to family carers.

Imelda Redmond, chief executive at Carers UK, described the present social care system as “simply not fit for purpose” because it relied too heavily on carers without supporting them.

The government announced in October, during the comprehensive spending review, that it would produce a green paper on adult social care this year, which will look at the funding system and delivery of social care.

The Right care Right deal call mirrors the partnership funding model set out in March 2006 by Derek Wanless in his report for the Kings Fund.

This would see the government contributing to two-thirds of an elderly person’s personal care. And for those who are poorer, the state would cover the full costs of this care.

Paul Cann, director of policy and external relations at Help the Aged, said: “Social care has become a distress service, meeting only the needs of the poorest and most debilitated.”

And Stephen Burke, chief executive of Counsel and Care, described the current system as being in “crisis”. “The growing care gap means there is a crisis of funding, a crisis of fairness and a crisis of confidence,” he said.

On Tuesday, the Liberal Democrats published a report on healthcare policy which saw the party back the Wanless model of funding.

More information

Help the Aged

Counsel and Care

Carers UK

Derek Wanless’s report