There are two big issues over social care. Politicians talk about a lot about the first , make promises to change and then fail. That is the issue of the elderly using the savings and money from the sale of their home to pay for themslves when they need to go into a care home. The one they ignore is the quality and costs of the public sector provision of health care to most elderly people and care homes for those without savings. Today I will tackle the first of these issues.
My parents from modest beginnings managed to buy their own home and paid off the mortgage by the time they retired. They had some savings. I never thought I had a right to that money. When it became clear both needed to move into a care home I helped them choose a good quality one. It offered communal facilities with decent restaurant/dining room meals and a hotel style lounge, daily activities, trips and entertainments if they wanted any. It also gave them their own flat with a sitting room and a bedroom when they wished to be on their own. I helped them sell their home to assist in covering the substantial bills decent care and facilities generated. The money did last out for the period of their time in the care home.
Many argue I should have had the right to inherit the money they spent on their care in old age. That would only be possible if the state took on responsibility for paying the care home fees of the elderly that do still own their own homes or have savings. That would be a colossal bill for taxpayers and would be unfair between those elderly going into a care home and those still living in their own homes and having to pay their own living costs and accommodation levies. The elderly person going into a care home is not normally going to return to self sufficient living, so if their home is left empty surely it needs to be sold? Homes are best used, and deteriorate if left empty for long periods.
The argument runs that it is not fair if someone who has saved and bought a home has to pay for their care home stay, but someone who has not saved and always rented gets a free care home place. Yet that is our system also for working age. We who work hard and pay tax accept we need to pay so those who are unable to work get their home and living costs paid by the state. Those who own their own home do not get money for that, but if people rent they get the rent paid by the state when in need. Why should it be any different in old age? There are of course big debates today about how many really do need to be state dependent, and how many should be looking for work, which Mr Burnham says he wishes to tackle. The issue with benefits and with access to free care homes is one of access terms and entitlement. It would be far too costly to offer free care homes and free living costs for all.
July 18, 2026
Your parents did very well. The Greatest generation had to spend much youthful energy protecting our democratic, free world rather than working all their lives to provide for themselves.
They also had to survive the socialist onslaught and 98% tax after the war, another whole war in itself.
In those circumstances surviving, raising a family and never being a burden to your friends or family counts as a monumental achievement.
July 18, 2026
We sold my Mothers house to pay her care. She too enjoyed the last yesr of her life well looked after
I asked the Care Home manager how many of the 30 residents were self funded and it was 9. They also paid around, £1k a month more than the council was prepared to pay.
I don’t know the solution but it’s grossly unfair as it stands.
July 18, 2026
The argument runs that it is not fair if someone who has saved and bought a home has to pay for their care home stay, but someone who has not saved and always rented gets a free care home place.
And when the Tories were in power why the hell didn’t they do something about it, I’ve worked very hard in the Heavy Transport industry to get what I’ve got now but it really pisses me off that I had school leavers in the late 1960s who never had a job are entitled to free handouts when they’ve retired unlike me but because I’ve gone by the system of working to get what I have now and get penalised because I have a few bob plus a paid up house,but these out of never worked parasites have a far better lifestyle than me
July 18, 2026
The unfairness we all see when we look at the price being paid by those with their own resources and the price not paid by those who for one reason or another have never paid for anything is today’s biggest economic challenge.
The sector of society that have sought economic independence and worked to achieve that, are being abused in the final years of their lives by the state taking it all off them. This is happening, despite the fact these are the actual funding members of society the actual tax payers who have already paid for those who have never earned or paid anything into the nation’s social costs pot.
This unfairness is the feature that will destroy social cohesion and will add to the growing number of people leaving the country. People are increasingly looking for fairer and better opportunities to live away from the UK.
When this feature of unfairness in modern UK society is added to the authorities/police tolerance of criminal activities i.e. drug dealing, shop lifting and corruption on a national scale, it is no surprise people unhappy with the situation are leaving.
July 18, 2026
What about the situation where a council will cap the fees that it pays therefore those that self fund can be subsidising those that don’t pay for themselves?
Reply What is your proposal to stop this?
July 18, 2026
Everyone should pay the same for the same level of service regardless of whether it’s the council or private individual.
July 18, 2026
Good morning.
The State has been attacking the family for well over a hundred years. By doing so it has had to take on many of the roles the family would do, and that includes looking after ones on parents.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was released in the early 60’s and its author, Roald Dahl writes into the book the elderly grandparents of the main character, Charlie. They are all staying in the same family home. Not Care Home, Family Home !! It was of course a work of fiction but, the writer was from a different age, an age when this would be seen as the thing.
We must stop politicians making promises for things they know others will pay.
July 18, 2026
I agree that people should pay for their own care if they can, but as is well known the cost of private care is bumped up to subsidise care for those paid for by the council. It’s completely unacceptable to force private individuals to support a public service.
July 18, 2026
Those who have no assets end up in council run care homes where the facilities are very basic. You get a bedroom but most of the other facilities are communal. Many elderly seem to enjoy this, they like the company, having someone to talk to etc. The food is often very basic. Councils have to provide for these people, which puts upward pressure on council tax.
Those with means usually go for a private care home, where the fees are astronomical due to the profit motive. Very few can afford to pay these fees indefinitely and once their resources are exhausted, they frequently have to find somewhere cheaper to live with all the uprooting that entails right near the end.
As the baby boomer generation reach the end of their lives, many of them prefer to spend their golden years in their own homes, buying in care from the private sector for as long as it’s possible. Downsizing is possible, as is equity release. Those choosing this option are terrified of developing dementia in their later years
Burnham and his Labour government intend to deal with this issue, which has become much more relevant as the population ages and more and more elderly need care. Previous governments have ignored it. Inevitably, it will involve more resources being allocated.
Reply So which new taxes to pay for it?