Public support for care costs cap continues to grow
The majority of people now support a cap on care costs, according to a new survey by the Just Group.
A survey carried out for finance specialist’s annual care report found that nearly three-fifths (58%) of overs 45s support the idea, which was originally put forward by the Dilnot Commission in 2011, which would limit the amount an individual has to pay for care before the state steps in.
The survey also found two-thirds (65%) of over 75s support the idea.
It comes after health minister Lord Bethell told the House of Lords last week that he could not commit to ‘a social care plan before the end of the year’.
The Just Group’s communications director Stephen Lowe said the figures demonstrate a growing realism about the cost of care among the public who firmly place responsibility for setting a clear policy at the government’s door.
‘Funding social care has been a perennial problem that’s dogged governments for decades now,’ said Mr Lowe.
‘Despite all the talk about solving the care crisis and delivering a sustainable policy the public has seen precious little progress in the last 20 years. This government doesn’t appear to be breaking the mould as yet another delay was quietly slipped out in the House of Lords last week,’ he added.
‘While the coronavirus pandemic has been the focus of attention for the prime minister and the secretary of state for health and social care, they cannot kick the can down the road for much longer.
‘These findings demonstrate that support for a model that shares cost between the individual and the state has reached its highest level since we started running the research in 2014. The public recognises they will have to make some contribution to the cost of care but they also want some certainty on how much that will be – and, quite rightly, are looking to the government to make that clear,’ said Mr Lowe.
‘But there’s little public confidence – even among Conservative voters – that the Prime Minister will fulfil his pledge to “fix” social care policy in this parliament.’
According to the Just Group survey, only 43% of people who voted Conservative in the last general election are confident the prime minister will produce a social care policy before the end of this parliament and only a third (35%) think he can put that social care policy into practice.
And just 3% of Labour and Liberal Democrat voters are confident in Mr Johnson’s ability to produce a policy, and 2% among both parties’ voter base believe he will implement it this parliament.
Photo Credit – Nattanan23 (Pixabay)
