I'm pleased to announce that a pamphlet I have written with Demos has been published today. In it I propose a bold new idea to help solve the social care crisis: the Care Commitment - which would guarantee at-home care costs for older people to be free as part of a joint agreement. You can read the full document here.
We've underfunded social care for decades. But it's a mixed economy (Government, councils, families, charities) all co-funding and that's a good thing. My suggestion is to use National Insurance to guarantee a £30,000 basic entitlement for all, making all personal at-home care costs completely free, and for many it will cover their residential care costs too. This money can be used for any care costs, including paying friends and family to help. After that's used up people draw down money based on their NI contributions, or self-pay, up to a limit of £100,000. Self-payment is means-tested down to an asset floor of £15,000, excluding the family home (so that's protected). Beyond £130,000 (basic entitlement + NI/self-pay ceiling), the council pays.
The idea is to support the millions of unpaid carers helping elderly people stay at home for longer - strengthening families and communities and reducing pressure on expensive residential care. We must also improve pay and status for care workers and fix the care home market!
I call it 'The Care Commitment' because it rests on a signed pledge by all parties - individual, family, care providers, council, govt - to play their part. Let's emerge from the pandemic determined to properly look after adults with care needs and the people who look after them.
