Partnership model suggested to solve LTC dilemma
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The King’s Fund says a partnership agreement between the Government and individuals is the best way to tackle social care reform.
In its latest report, securing good care for more people, the think-tank concluded that a revised version of the partnership model is the fairest way of funding social care in the future. It says decisions about whether individual contributions should be voluntary or compulsory should follow on from this.
The report says the cost of the current system is set to double by 2025, but “with no improvements in outcomes”. Instead, the report says Government should step up its plans to improve the delivery of care and support, particular emphasis on more personalised services.
It says a review of the current settlement for older people should be undertaken and a long term, staged approach to reform should be adopted to ensure fairness between the generations.
The report also recommends reforms to Attendance Allowance, which could release up to £3bn in savings by 2026 to help fund a more coherent, simplified and generous care system.
For any reform to succeed the King’s Fund says “this must be based on political consensus and an all-party road map for reform”.
The King’s Fund interim chief executive Anna Dixon says: “The current social care system often falls short of meeting the needs of the people who rely on it and will not be able to cope with increasing demand for services as the population ages. The people who stand to benefit most from our proposals are those on moderate and middle incomes who are heavily penalised by the current system.”
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