All change

Very few people like the current care funding system, according to Caring Choices’ report, ‘The Future of Care Funding – Time for a Change’, which was released on Monday. This will have surprised no one.

Likewise, everyone already knows the system is generally complicated, irrational, unfair and under funded.

But while Caring Choices states the obvious somewhat and calls for the government to overhaul the system as soon as possible – a Green Paper on the future for care funding is promised later this year – it gives some pointers that the government would do well to heed when it comes to put the report together.

For example, 99% of people believe the care funding system will need more cash, and 90% want to abandon means testing to determine who gets state assistance in favour of a more universal system based on want rather than wealth or income. Acquiescing to both of these wishes would instantly get a lot people onside.

Caring Choices also puts forward some realistic alternatives to the current regime, barring the 20% that reckon care should be fully state funded, which the government would never do because of the big tax hikes that would be needed to achieve it – a sure-fire vote loser.

Most favoured is a system of ‘co-payment’ where the person receiving care pays a fixed percentage of the cost, a system that is already successful in countries such as Japan.

This system – with a couple of caveats thrown in to ensure the poorest are not penalised – seems fairer than means testing, which tends to penalise those that have saved and have assets, and would be more popular than tax rises.

So if the government is to come up with reforms that are to please – or at least appease – the majority involved in the care industry, it needs to do some serious thinking, starting by taking in the criticisms and ideas of Caring Choices.