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| Means-testing for care 'may go' | Means-testing for care 'may go' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The government has signalled that it may scrap means-testing for long term care of elderly and disabled people in England. | The government has signalled that it may scrap means-testing for long term care of elderly and disabled people in England. |
| Ministers are thought to prefer a system coupling universal entitlement with a top-up co-payment. | Ministers are thought to prefer a system coupling universal entitlement with a top-up co-payment. |
| Proposals for a Green Paper to look at the issue were contained in the Comprehensive Spending Review. | Proposals for a Green Paper to look at the issue were contained in the Comprehensive Spending Review. |
| The move has been hailed as an "historic move" by the independent think tank the King's Fund. | The move has been hailed as an "historic move" by the independent think tank the King's Fund. |
| The move represents a bold first step at addressing one of the greatest social challenges facing the government Niall DicksonKing's Fund | The move represents a bold first step at addressing one of the greatest social challenges facing the government Niall DicksonKing's Fund |
| At present, nursing care and care-home costs are means-tested against the value of a person's assets, including their home. | At present, nursing care and care-home costs are means-tested against the value of a person's assets, including their home. |
| Only people with assets up to £12,000 have their care paid for by the state and many elderly people currently have to sell their homes to pay for their care. | Only people with assets up to £12,000 have their care paid for by the state and many elderly people currently have to sell their homes to pay for their care. |
| The Royal Commission on Long-Term Care, which reported in 1999, called for all personal social care to be made free to the patient - but little political action followed. | The Royal Commission on Long-Term Care, which reported in 1999, called for all personal social care to be made free to the patient - but little political action followed. |
| Niall Dickson, King's Fund Chief Executive, said the system was much despised, and had caused distress and misery to older people and their families. | Niall Dickson, King's Fund Chief Executive, said the system was much despised, and had caused distress and misery to older people and their families. |
| He labelled it unsustainable, overly-complex and unfair. | He labelled it unsustainable, overly-complex and unfair. |
| He said: "This is an historic move and is to be welcomed and commended. | He said: "This is an historic move and is to be welcomed and commended. |
| "The move represents a bold first step at addressing one of the greatest social challenges facing the government. | "The move represents a bold first step at addressing one of the greatest social challenges facing the government. |
| "The government must now seize this opportunity to achieve a political consensus on how we fund long term care and deliver a fairer system for future generations." | "The government must now seize this opportunity to achieve a political consensus on how we fund long term care and deliver a fairer system for future generations." |
| More funds needed | More funds needed |
| However, Mr Dickson said the level of funds given to social care over the next three years was disappointing. | However, Mr Dickson said the level of funds given to social care over the next three years was disappointing. |
| The social care budget, which helps councils pay for services such as home helps which help people stay in their own homes, will rise by just £190m to £1.5bn in 2010. | |
| He warned that the social care system was already struggling, with local authorities raising their eligibility criteria and only focusing on those people with the most severe needs. | He warned that the social care system was already struggling, with local authorities raising their eligibility criteria and only focusing on those people with the most severe needs. |
| The announcement follows publication of a report by former bank chief Sir Derek Wanless into the future of social care funding. | The announcement follows publication of a report by former bank chief Sir Derek Wanless into the future of social care funding. |
| Sir Derek called for sharp increases in funding to meet the demand for high quality care over the next two decades, and for the means-tested funding system to be scrapped. | Sir Derek called for sharp increases in funding to meet the demand for high quality care over the next two decades, and for the means-tested funding system to be scrapped. |
| The report found that if the system remains as it is, its costs will rise from £10.1bn in 2002 to £24bn by 2026 as a result of demographic changes alone. | The report found that if the system remains as it is, its costs will rise from £10.1bn in 2002 to £24bn by 2026 as a result of demographic changes alone. |
| Many charities have also warned that the current system is ripe for reform. | Many charities have also warned that the current system is ripe for reform. |
| Mr Dickson said: "Our failure to support frail and vulnerable older people has been one of the unrecognised scandals of our time. | Mr Dickson said: "Our failure to support frail and vulnerable older people has been one of the unrecognised scandals of our time. |
| "There are more very old people than ever and yet fewer are receiving the social care support they need." | "There are more very old people than ever and yet fewer are receiving the social care support they need." |
| Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association, said councils had been short-changed by the spending review, which he said had provided the worst settlement for local government in a decade. | |
| He said: "There remains a black hole in funding for the care of the elderly." |