The state needs to increase the amount it spends on caring for older people, but there is wide support for a system in which providing care for an individual in old age is the joint financial responsibility of the state and the individual or family. At the second Caring Choices event, in Birmingham on 25 May, three-quarters of participants accepted that a private financial contribution to the costs of care should be part of the funding solution, while one-fifth said that providing care should be the sole responsibility of the state.

There was majority support among participants for a shift to a co-payment funding system for social care, whereby the state would pay towards a package of personal care for every older person who needs it, regardless of how rich or poor they are, with private funds meeting the balance of the cost. Many participants favoured this type of clear entitlement for users ‘rather than an ambiguous and disputable system as now’. Co-payment was seen as fairer than the current system, promoting dignity and respect for the older person, while also being more financially sustainable than providing personal care that is free at the point of delivery.

Around 75 people took part in the debate, all with experience of the social care system either as users, family or carers, or through their paid work. It was argued that a simpler, more transparent and fairer funding system would clarify the public and private responsibilities for personal care costs, and thereby encourage a willingness among the general public to provide for the costs of care. Opinion was divided, however, over whether it was appropriate to divert part of the state budget for disability-related benefits into the social care funding pot.

There is an immediate need for greater financial support for informal carers and regular respite care to alleviate some of the physical and emotional demands of caring. Well-signposted information and advice about caring are also still lacking, and there should be more emphasis on meeting the individual preferences of users and their carers.

Read our full report from the Birmingham event (PDF – 76KB)

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