Lib Dems say Tory social care plans are "unaffordable"
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The Liberal Democrats have hit out at Conservative plans for residential social care at a cost of £8,000 to pensioners, saying its proposals are “unworkable, unfair and unaffordable”.
The Liberal Democrats today released figures showing that 3.5m pensioner households, or 66 per cent, do not have assets of £8,000, excluding their homes.
They say the figures, released ahead of tomorrow’s cross-party social care conference, undermine Conservative claims that their plans would enable older people to pass their homes on to their children.
The Lib Dems say two thirds of pensioner households would have to sell or release equity from their homes to pay for the private insurance scheme.
The figures show that 63 per cent, or 1.4m pensioner couple households, do not have non-housing assets of £16,000.
According to the research, 71 per cent of single female pensioners, or 1.6m women, and 64 per cent of single male pensioners, 600,000 men, do not have non-housing assets of £8,000.
Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb (pictured) says: “The reality is that Conservative social care plans are unworkable, unfair and unaffordable for the majority of pensioners in this country and do nothing to pay for the costs of care at home.
“This is basically a ‘poll tax’ and many people on modest means will be wondering how the Tories could think it’s fair that they should pay the same amount for care as multi-millionaires.
“Whoever wins the next election cannot avoid the fact that we’re facing a crisis in funding for care. What we need is a long-term solution which is both fair and affordable in the long-term.”
The Conservative party has hit back, saying the Lib Dems have failed to take into account means testing. It says almost 66 per cent of pensioners do not have to pay their own care fees, so they wouldn’t consider this scheme anyway.
The Tories say for those who are liable to pay fees, the £8,000 insurance scheme protects people against typical costs of over £50,000, which represents “excellent value”.
A Conservative spokesman says: “This analysis is flawed and full of inaccuracies. Unfortunately the Liberal Democrats have failed to come up with any serious contributions to the debate on how we fund care for the elderly. They have no policy to help these needy people.
“Instead they have resorted to barefaced lies and smears. Their sums do not add up and they should withdraw them.”
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Readers' comments (2)
Julian Stevens | 9 Mar 2010 3:43 pm
If the rate it which elderly people having to go into care are losing their homes is to be stemmed, then one way or another any government has to be prepared either to spend public money on the problem or give tax incentives to the private sector.
If the Tories are genuine about their plans to increase the ability of society to empower itself and for the role of the State to decrease, then the only way forward has to be tax relief on premiums to LTC insurance plans.
To me, it seems pretty straightforward. So why is none of the main political parties talking about it?
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P Murphy | 11 Mar 2010 12:53 pm
If like me you have been out of work since you were 50 with a dibilitating illness the last thing you need is the worry of finding £8,000 for care when you never had a chance to save that amount. The only asset i have is my home and i would be more than happy for the state to take £20,000 when i am dead from the sale of my home.The tory party are not living in the real world ,never have done never will.
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