‘Billions needed’ to care for elderly

Age UK said the figure of 800,000 was likely to reach a million by 2014 as a result of cuts.

Two million older people in England currently have care-related needs, it said in its Care in Crisis report.

It predicted that by 2014 spending would be £250m less in real terms than a decade previously.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director for Age UK, said: “Care and support in England has reached breaking point, putting older people at risk and their families under intolerable strain.

“The figures we have uncovered beggar belief.

“How can any civilised society accept the prospect of one million of its older citizens going without any services to meet their care needs?”

She said billions of pounds more needed to be spent on social care.

“The alternative is to sacrifice the safety, health and dignity of those who need our help the most,” she added.

The report said the eligibility criteria for social care were getting tougher.

Half of councils provided support to people found to have “moderate” needs in 2005-6, but that figure dropped to 15 per cent in 2011-12, it found.

The number of people receiving local authority funded care at home had been slashed from nearly 500,000 in 2004-5 to 300,000 in 2009-10.

It said councils were also underpaying for older people’s care homes by as much as £120 per week, leaving their families to pick up the shortfall.

Report author Andrew Harrop, Age UK’s director of policy and public affairs, said: “There has been unprecedented debate on the future of care – both its long-term funding and the ‘transformation’ of council provision today.

“But in the meantime local authority spending decisions have changed the ‘facts on the ground’ with a significant deterioration in services for older people.”

Since 2004 net spending on older people’s care has risen by just 0.1 per cent each year in real terms – a total of £43m, while real spending on the NHS has increased by £25 billion, the study said.

“Spending cuts are projected to reduce spending on older people’s care by £300m over four years,” Mr Harrop said.

“Real spending on older people’s care will be £250m lower in 2014 than in 2004. Over the same period the number of people over 85 has risen by two-thirds (630,000 people).”

The charity also found large regional variations in quality and quantity of care for older people, with Tower Hamlets in London spending five times as much per person as Cornwall.

The charity is now calling for the Government to reform the system and commit £2-£3bn to older people’s care.

Among its principles, it wants everyone who needs care to be granted a non means-tested contribution, regardless of income.

An independent review into the system led by expert Andrew Dilnot is due to publish its findings in July and is expected to lead to landmark changes to funding of long-term care. Prior to the election, the Conservatives rejected plans backed by Labour and the Liberal Democrats for a tax on estates when people died which they branded a “death tax” but all options are being considered by the commission also including upfront compulsory payments or a voluntary insurance scheme.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “The Government recognises the urgent need to reform the social care system – an ageing population and rising expectations make the current system completely unsustainable.”

He said plans to be put forward later this year would “put in place a lasting and fair settlement for social care”.