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Source : Age Published on 01 July 2011 03:00 PM
Government needs to contribute more funding to adult social care and support services, according to a leading charity.
Age Cymru is making the call ahead of the publication on Monday of a landmark report into the future of care funding and support.
The Dilnot Commission’s report will be making recommendations for changes to the funding of care and support in England, which will have a knock-on effect in Wales.
Age Cymru’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Graeme Francis says:
“Age Cymru believes strongly that there must be an additional government contribution towards care services.
"The current system is broken and struggling with a long-term legacy of underfunding.
“It is vital that older people are guaranteed high-quality care when they need it and we also need a new, fairer way for paying for long-term care.
“This is why we would like this report to specify the funding levelsthat would be needed to allow this to happen and to outline how that funding should be raised.
“We expect the Dilnot Commission to recommend the introduction of a limit to the cost people have to pay when they’re funding their care.
"We would be supportive of this because it would help to protect people who have to meet extremely high charges in the current system.
“We feel this would also encourage individuals to plan ahead as they would know the limit of their financial liability for care services they might need, and it would help to open up a private insurance market for investment products to cover personal liability and protect middle and higher level earners.
“Age Cymru are also keen for the Commission to propose that the means-test for these care services should be increased beyond the current £22,500, which is felt by many to be far too low.
"People with over this amount of savings, capital or assets currently have to meet their own care costs in full.”
The Dilnot Commission was set up in July 2010 by the UK Government, tasked with making recommendations for changes to the funding of care and support in England.
It is chaired by the economist Andrew Dilnot and will be publishing its recommendations on 4 July 2011.
ENDS
CONTACT
For all media enquiries, please contact Iwan Rhys Roberts, Communications Officer – Age Cymru, on 029 2043 1562, 07739 894 923, iwan.roberts@agecymru.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORSSocial care• Social care is the name given to the range of care and support services that help frail and disabled people remain independent, active and safe - for example helping with getting out of bed, bathing and preparing cooked meals. • Support services can be provided in someone’s home, in a community centre or in a care home. • Older people make up the largest group of social care users in Wales. • Social care includes services people arrange and pay for themselves, as well as support organised by local authorities (either in the form of specific services or cash payments that enable people to make their own care and support arrangements).• Social care provided by councils is means-tested. If someone needs residential care and they have over £22,500 in savings, capital or assets they would have to pay for their care in full. If someone receives care at home the value of their savings is assessed, as is their income, but the value of their house is not taken into account. From April 2011 the Welsh Government has introduced a maximum charge for home care services of £50 per week. Charging for services also cannot leave anyone below the current level of Pension Guarantee Credit (£137.35 per week) plus a buffer of 25 per cent. Those below the means-test would be eligible for free care organised by a local council.
Dilnot implications for the Welsh Government• The care system in Wales is devolved but funding arrangements are similar to those in England, and services face the same problems of underfunding and increasing demand. How care is funded is also broadly similar, with the major difference existing in home care where, in April 2011, the Welsh Government introduced a maximum charge of £50 per week for all care services received at home. This was a positive move and demonstrates a commitment to introducing fairer charging policies.• The Welsh Government is constrained by its lack of revenue raising powers from undertaking more significant reform of the system of paying for care. The recommendations made by the Dilnot Commission, and the subsequent response of the UK Government, is therefore critical in determining the resources and scope that the Welsh Government will have in reforming the care system in Wales.• The Welsh Government has undertaken two previous consultation exercises on Paying for Care in Wales and has announced its intention to develop a new Social Care Act for Wales. This is expected to cover issues around eligibility criteria for services and the Welsh Government will need to take into account progress on implementing the Dilnot Commission proposals in developing the new legislation.
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For all media enquiries about Age Cymru, please contact our Communications Officer, Iwan Rhys Roberts.
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