Assembly Members discuss paying for care

Welsh Assembly Members are going to be discussing how we pay for care in Wales at a meeting on July 3.

The Cross-Party Group on Older People and Ageing will also be listening to experts giving their opinions about changing the way we pay for care.

Age Cymru's Head of Policy and Public Affairs Graeme Francis and Older People's Commissioner for Wales Sarah Rochira are going to speak to the group.

Mike Hedges AM, Chair of the Cross-Party Group on Older People and Ageing comments:

"With an ageing population in Wales, we know that the demand for social services and care is likely to increase in the coming years.

"That's why it's important that we have this debate over how we fund social care as well as ensure that any future system of paying for care in Wales is both fair and affordable in the long term.

"Last year, we saw some good progress in this field with the introduction of a weekly maximum charge of £50 for non-residential services a person receives.

"It's now time to finish the job and keep Wales at the forefront of effective care and support by building a sustainable and equitable system for the future needs of our population."

The UK Government is now acting on the recommendations of the Dilnot Report into funding of care and support in England.

This includes:
• a cap on the care costs anyone will have to pay of £72,000;
• a lower cap for people who need care and support before they reach retirement age;
• financial help for people who need to pay for care at an earlier stage.

Deputy Minister for Social Services for the Welsh Government, Gwenda Thomas AM, announced on 21 March this year that she will now be developing proposals for paying for care in Wales over the next year.

"The issue of how we fund social care has seen a great deal of debate in recent years" says Age Cymru's Graeme Francis.

"Now that the UK Government has announced its plans for change in England, it is vital that the Welsh Government develops its own plans for how to make the system simpler and fairer in Wales."

Graeme Francis comments:

"We believe that there is an opportunity for the Welsh Government to put forward proposals that are suitable for people's needs in Wales and that help protect the least well-off in our communities.

"This meeting will begin a discussion about how best to do that between Assembly Members and experts in this subject."

The meeting takes place in Tŷ Hywel at 12.15pm on Wednesday 3 July.