“As our population ages, delivering a fair and sustainable deal on how the UK funds social care is one of our greatest societal challenge. Unfortunately, the promised Green Paper on social care funding has suffered repeated delays, leaving many tens of thousands in the dark regarding how to obtain and pay for social care, making them one of the biggest casualties of a Government bogged down by Brexit.
“The key components of a social care deal need to include a stable and sustainable way of sharing costs between the state and individuals, based on their wealth. Individuals need to have a clear understanding of what they’ll be expected to pay should they need care, with an overall limit or ‘cap’ on care costs. The Government also needs to provide incentives to encourage individuals and families to plan ahead for an event which could be 20 or more years into the future. While we wait on a new deal, thousands face catastrophic care costs, often destroying plans to pass on an inheritance to future generations.
“The Government’s share also needs to be adequately funded to ensure good and consistent quality of care, bringing to an end the current geographical lottery. Crucially this needs to be carried out by care providers working in tandem with the NHS.
“Increasingly, social care will be a reality for many people in later life. Preparing for possible care costs needs to become part of managing pension, property and other savings wealth into and through retirement. Once the Government sets out the new deal, seeking professional advice will ensure people make the right decisions for an uncertain future.”
Best wishes
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