Here, the Government's long awaited Social Care Green Paper is yet another example of dither and indecision. After twelve years of promises to look at the funding of long-term care we have now reached the point where around 45,000 elderly people are being forced to sell their homes every year to meet their residential care costs.
Rather than deciding on one comprehensive policy, the Green Paper suggests three uncosted options. One, based around a universal minimum entitlement to care, implies cuts to disability benefit for many to fund it. Another option, recommending a compulsory payment per person on retirement of £20,000, is tantamount to a new tax on the elderly.
The time to present alternative options was prior to this Government coming to power in 1997, as Tony Blair said would be one of his priorities. Now the increasing number of elderly people, especially in areas such as the Ludlow constituency, desperately need decisive action.
It is not just the huge cost presented by the increasing number of people needing care, but the state of existing care that is of immense concern. Last year the Government's own social care watchdog ranked 731 care homes (3 per cent) as unsafe.
Conservatives have made it clear there needs to be a partnership approach to long-term care. This will reward saving throughout life, allowing people to protect assets and inheritance, including their homes, from being sold to pay care fees; the integration of 'extra care' support to help people maintain independent living at home or in supported communities; and working with local authorities to ensure high and consistent standards in care homes.
In this way we can end the scandal of people having to sell their homes to pay for their care and guarantee elderly people the care and dignity they deserve.
