Political Debate On Social Care Fails To Reassure The Public, UK

Almost two thirds (59%) of people are worried about the standard of care they could receive in old age while nearly a third (30%) feel none of the three main political parties are addressing the issue successfully.


The new Alzheimer's Society commissioned YouGov poll suggests the pre-election debate on social care has so far failed to convince voters that the current situation is likely to be improved. Not only does the survey of more than 2,000 people show a concern for the standard of care, it also demonstrates mixed opinions on how the care should be funded.


Social care, including help with dressing, washing and eating, is currently means tested and can cost people - including people with dementia - tens of thousands of pounds. However only one in 10 people say putting money aside to pay for a care is currently a priority.


A number of alternative funding methods have been outlined by political parties including insurance models and inheritance tax. Only eight per cent of people say they would rather risk selling their home to pay for care than take out insurance to protect themselves. However, less than a quarter (23%) would rather the government introduce a ??20,000 inheritance tax to fund the social care system than risk having to sell their home to pay for their own care.


Alzheimer's Society is now calling on all political parties to come together to tackle this issue head on and to address the concerns of their voters.


Ruth Sutherland, Acting Chief Executive of Alzheimer's Society, said:


'These results demonstrate that care for older people is a real worry for people ahead of the general election. In the context of the current broken system which burdens older people with huge bills for often substandard care this comes as little surprise.


'People with dementia are often the hardest hit and can pay up to ??40,000 a year, sometimes being forced to sell their homes, to pay for their care. Politicians now have a golden opportunity to change this picture and people with dementia could be some of the biggest winners. With the election looming we need to move away from soundbites and start hearing detailed plans for how the parties will create a care service that guarantees high quality care at a fair price.'


Notes


All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2282 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th - 8th March 2010. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

Source
Alzheimer's Society