Plans to overhaul care services for the elderly will involve creating a national care service, giving all citizens a basic entitlement and contribution to their care.
Plans outlined in a new Green Paper called “Shaping the Future of Care Together” would require people to buy insurance to supplement state funding.
Currently, the elderly are means tested for social care. Under the present English system anyone with a home or savings of 23,500 pounds or more is not given state funding for a care home or social services.
In Scotland, personal care for the elderly is free.
How should we fund care for the elderly? Would it be better to go the Scottish route?
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4 comments so far
Can anyone explain why the Scottish get this benefit for free?
It now seems that it is becoming a complete waste of time saving or making any form of effort financially in Britain.
- Posted by NickWhat about part-time work for the elderly? Who says there should be a retirement age?
- Posted by Mary PilcherScotland fund free health care for OAP’s with the £40 billion or so we give Scotland every year, in addition to the tax that they collect and are allowed to keep. This is also why there are no University fee’s and cheaper perscription charges, among other areas. I do wish that Scotland would go for total independance and break away, we would save a fortune and get rid of a load of MP’s.
Don’t forget that Brown has been trying to find a way into getting another slice of OAP’s proerty values for the last few years, over and above the 40% death tax, he can’t stand the idea that this money is witheld from the state.
- Posted by BrianLet us just say from the start the care in Scotland is not free but better funded. The UK’s government attempt at reform, I beleive, is by and large smoke and mirrors - as nothing in reality has changed - we still have to pay a lot of money for what it seems is not a lot.
I recently found a great site giving good information on this subject which maybe of interest.
http://www.careadvice4u.co.uk
- Posted by Roger Mannion