Concerns over social care plans
The new government plan to bring in a new free social care scheme for the elderly has been met with an icy response, reports BBC News.
The scheme, which aims to offer the most vulnerable free social care is now under scrutiny because it will not be of any benefit to the 400,000 people living in care homes.
It would take until next Autumn to implement the bill which was announced in the Queen’s speech.
The other fatal flaw in the plan is the fact that it will only affect around half of the 500,000 people receiving care in their own home. Most of these are elderly although some are people with disabilities.
In contrast, during the summer a green paper was published putting forward a series of proposals affecting the whole range of social services.
Under the plans put forward in the bill, around 280,000 have been judged to have critical needs. This is basically those who cannot get out of bed or feed, dress and wash themselves and these are the people who are to receive free home care regardless of wealth.
Currently all people receiving social care at home are means tested with anyone with savings over £23,000 having to pay for help.
Wales and Northern Ireland are also looking at ways to reform social care as the UK faces up to the prospect of an ageing population.
