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Rising care charges 'putting support at risk'

04/06/2008

Rising charges for people to receive care in their own homes are causing disabled and older people in England to reduce or even stop their support services, a new study says.

The report from the Coalition on Charging claims the increasing cost of care in people's homes is putting older and disabled people at risk of not being able to afford to eat, heat their homes, wash or get essential support.

Eight in ten of the people surveyed by the coalition who no longer use care services say the charges contributed to their decision to stop their support.

Over a fifth (22 per cent) of respondents said they would have to stop their support if the charges rise any further.

Coalition on Charging chair Sue Bott said: "Restricted access to social services and increased charges for support has had a huge impact on the day to day lives of disabled people, older people and their families.

"The shocking reality is that people needing support are being forced to choose between eating properly and using vital care services."

Ms Bott called on the government to conduct "a thorough review to fully understand the damage that rising care charges are having on people's lives and ensure the care reform green paper delivers a framework which ends the choice of food or care".

Commenting on the report, Alzheimer's Society chief executive Neil Hunt said: "This report confirms the shocking truth that social care charges are hitting vulnerable older people harder than ever.

"There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this will rise to over a million people in less than 20 years. What sort of society do we live in where people are forced to make huge sacrifices to pay for essential care?"

In response to the claims a spokesperson for the Department of Health said the government has already started to reform the social care system, including giving the vast majority of people who receive funded care their own personal budgets so they can choose the support services they want for themselves or a family member.

"We have also introduced several changes to ensure charging for care is fairer for everyone. For example, deferred payments to make sure that people who need residential care now do not have to sell their home against their wishes," the spokesperson added.

"Last month we launched a debate about how we can fund care and support in a way that is affordable and fair in the future. We are asking how the government can best work with people to help protect their assets and cope with the risk of having care and support needs at some point in their lives."