Paying for social care - good news or bad news?

Green doesn't seem the brightest does he?

Impressed by the amount of articles in the media calling for a social insurance that will equally spread the risk.

Sensible and humane.

It might have slipped past if he hadn't gone on using everybody the way he did.

The ridiculous idea that a full consultation will decide who does/doesn't keep WFA is nonsense.
If as he says those 'most in need' will retain it then he's clearly paving the way to allowing it only as part of pension credit.

Marr said Green's been tipped as Hammond's successor.

He told Marr that the Tories are not prepared to look at the policy again; that there will be a green paper covering both social care and health coming out in the summer.

"We all know that the long-term solution to the social care crisis is better integration of the NHS and social care... this is the first step along that road."

He said twice that they will not reconsider.

Which category do you fit into?

Oh dear. Its all such a gamble isn't it for those of us not (yet?) in need of care and support. We may, like my Dear Dad die suddenly within the course of a week, or, like my dear MiL linger for years in need of increasingly constant ongoing health and social care.
I sort of expect to pay for my care until my funds run out. I just don't know how my life and health (including mental health) will turn out. I think I'd like some sort of insurance scheme which I'd be happy to contribute to for peace of mind if nothing else. Contributions could be means tested?
Of course there would have to be a large well organised system of provision of care if required. Currently, up here the 'free social care' is a shambles. A recent review in the Lothians found it to be very poor and with a huge waiting list even for assessment.
So many issues to consider.

I live in London and feel that I may as well hand over the deeds to my house any day now.

I had sort of assumed that dementia care was particularly expensive (£40,000 a year ish) but then thought how much cancer treatment costs in diagnosis, operations, chemotherapy (£20,000 typically for one round), possibly cutting edge immunotherapy course (£100,000) possibly radiotherapy at £15,000 upwards. Heart operations, transplants and procedures are all going to be expensive, (£500,000 or more for a heart transplant) stroke treatment and after care. Kidney transplants and dialysis. (Figures plucked from a quick internet search)
We are very lucky in the UK that we don't have to think about the cost of these treatments. But logically, if the cost of dementia care is recovered from people's estates after death, why not cancer costs, heart operations etc?
All very scary.
So, as we all have to die of something, just tax us all in the same way - through inheritance tax, death tax or just raising taxes generally so that the burden doesn't just fall on those (and their families) unlucky enough to develop dementia.

I am hoping for some sort of petition calling for a social insurance

Could it be called National Insurance?- wait a minute....!

Exactly!! So why don't they pursue what they seemed to intend to do in the budget? It would be so simple and benefit every single person in the country.

Jane

I am only just catching up with the days political programs but am incensed by the answers of the waffling Tories on the programmes.

It appears that the Tories and their supporters have decided to abandon universal benefits. So, in protest I have decided to abandon them too.

I will refuse the share they cost through my taxes of your cancer, your hip replacement, your stay in and ICU after an accident.

You - (the Tories and their supporters) are refusing to help with the care cost of my mother's dementia. For some time it has been apparent that you have reclassified this disease and now deem it not the be an illness but a "social" issue. If she becomes unable to feed, toilet or dress herself or even keep herself safe this will be because she is "socially" inadequate not because of her disease. Your diseases are not your fault so we (up till now) have shared to cost for those who draw the short straw. Apparently my mother, and anyone else who gets a degenerative disease, will now be deemed responsible so must pay for it themselves.

My mother, and all our family would happily pay into a scheme from which everyone could draw when they are in need (although I thought that was the NHS). We would all be happy for any necessary and equitable inheritance taxation on my mother's home go into the general coffers but why should we pick up the price tag for Tory voters illness when they won't share the cost and provision of a decent service to my 96 year old mother who got the disease that happens to be called dementia.

voxpoliticalonline.com/2017/05/21/is-the-dementia-tax-a-plan-to-make-money-for-theresa-may-and-her-husband/

Perhaps the Tories will bring a Dignitas type service here. That would save the social care system money! (Tin hat time!)

So dj if Theresa May has a financial interest in introducing insurance against paying dementia tax, shouldn't she declare that interest and keep away from this policy? Oh! the John McDonnell and Damien Green (conservative minister tipped to take over as Chancellor of the Exchequer) shouting match on Andrew Marr this morning proves that making a large profit from the policies of your government is just "capitalism"!
I thought John McDonnell ran rings round Damien Green.

Didn't most of the Tories vote against the Assisted Dying bill, mostlyharmless?

Anyone else feel like an Old Age Pariah?

speye.wordpress.com/2017/05/21/theresa-mays-policy-and-oaps-old-age-pariahs/

Yet the grey vote is huge now and getting bigger.

Tories keep saying their idea is fair. How is it fair that those who have a healthy old age get to pass on all their assets and that those unlucky enough to die slowly, over several years, or to suffer disabling arthritis or heart failure, get financially penalised. #VoteLabour

Dilnot has said this evening that what May has missed out of the equation is the fact that the market in social care is broken and doesnt work.

It might not be the grey vote that swings this - when the younger generation realize just how this could impact on their hoped-for inheritance, many will be up in arms. It potentially affects them far more than their parents/grandparents!

Here's an article to make you think. A few statistics about dementia.

kittysjones.wordpress.com/2017/05/21/raincoat-age-die-a-guest-post-by-hubert-huzzah/

Yes. The key point is that there isn't a functioning system of effective care to be paid for by whoever ends up paying.

You are absolutely right Gracesgran2 and JessM. The proposed scheme is not equitable but random. My mum is in a similar situation and I wouldn't mind a type of death tax for all, not just penalising those who are unlucky enough to become ill or so frail in old age that they require care, and do not oblige by dropping dead suddenly and without incurring cost!

You can't help but wonder how all this is going to help free up NHS beds from "bedblockers" or have I missed something?