Elderly care set to be an election issue

The payment of care for the elderly is fast becoming a political hot potato, and will undoubtedly be on the election agenda.

Conservative leader David Cameron claimed that under Labour’s plans for elderly care reform, two million pensioners would lose money.

Labour say their proposals will help 300,000 pensioners get free care at home, but Mr Cameron said it would mean scrapping attendance allowance and disability living allowance. The saving from not paying these benefits would help pay for the £670 million national care scheme, with up to 2.m million pensioners set to lose around £60 a week.

Mr Cameron said: “It is a good idea to help people in their homes, but the Prime Minister appears to be proposing to abolish these benefits that people rely on.”

Health Secretary Andy Burnham accused Mr Cameron of scaremongering and “gutter politics”, and insisted that the cost of Labour’s plans would be met from the Department of Health budget.

The Government scheme aims to provide free home care for 280,000 elderly and disabled people who need help with basic activities, such as dressing. Currently, anyone with £23,000 or more of savings has to pay for home care, but the new scheme proposes qualification based on need.

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