Social Care overhall

Wealth tax looks very attractive as I’ve started to argue on the rentier thread.

One reason I think this should be cross party is because undoubtedly this government is keen to protect it’s natural Constituency if home owners, who find themselves spending every asset they have on care as they age etc.

This must not be seen to be for those with the most being looked after, but it should be seen as a benefit for all U.K. citizens. So not just care in a home, but quality care at all levels of need at the persons home.

This government won’t do it of course, but for such an important issue a cross party overview and decision should be the way it is dealt with.

trisher

This is interesting if only because I can see it triggering a revolution in those approaching 40 or only just 40. The generation who have been saddled with huge university debts, have probably only just got themselves on the housing ladder, and are paying through the nose for it, are now going to be taxed for the care they may, or may not, need at some point in the future. In the words of the Kaiser Chiefs "I Predict a Riot".

Yes I can absolutely see that.

But I think we can all agree that social care needs looking at urgently and which is why I am in the surprising position of agreeing with the government that a radical re-think is necessary.

This is interesting if only because I can see it triggering a revolution in those approaching 40 or only just 40. The generation who have been saddled with huge university debts, have probably only just got themselves on the housing ladder, and are paying through the nose for it, are now going to be taxed for the care they may, or may not, need at some point in the future. In the words of the Kaiser Chiefs "I Predict a Riot".

There shouldn't be a tier system in social care. Everyone is entitled to be looked after in the same way. Get rid of the them and us system. All care homes should be of the same category. It shouldn't be down to how much or how little a person has.

It's not the idea of an overhaul I object to, it's the bad method of financing it.

Before you reject the idea in its entirety give it time to see how the idea develops.

Your argument that the poor pay more %wise, is also true of the health service, and I think it is essential that everyone should be Confident that they will receive quality care if they become infirm. Many of us won’t, or die before that, but I think that is how some sort if insurance works.

Other countries are running just such a successful scheme.

The point is that something has to be done. Look at the inequality in this country and how the poor are so ill provided for with regard to social care.

It's a dreadful idea.

Hypothecated (i.e assigned to one specific purpose) taxes at a fixed single rate are 'regressive'; in other words the people with the lowest incomes pay out the largest percentage of their income.

It suggests that people who take out private insurance to cover care costs would be exempt. I can see this creating a two tier care home system straight away!

What happens to people who are unemployed? Are they credited with contributions? Do they get a lower tier of care because they missed contributions?

And what happens if the government of the day decides that there's not enough in the 'pot' and so lowers standards to save money?

The idea that our 'national insurance' contributions actually pay for our future needs is a myth, which I'm sure most people recognise. I suspect that a 'hypothecated tax' would be used in much the same way, for current needs, not the future needs of the person paying it.

We discussed this a bit on one of the recent NHS threads, but I think we really need to completely lose the idea that government spending is from 'taxpayers' money'; an idea which creates resentment about non-taxpayers because of perceptions that they are not contributing anything, but start thinking of money coming from the government as 'everybodies' money' to be used for the benefit of everybody, by consensual agreement.

As was said on the NHS thread, we, the nation, can afford to pay for anything we want to, our money creation powers are limited only by the danger of scarce resources causing inflation. Why not just create and finance a decent social care system. The money will return to the treasury eventually and it will grow the economy in the meantime.

We have a wonky and rackety social care programme in the U.K. it does indeed need an overhaul. I hope best practice from other countries will be looked at and considered for implementation here on way or another.

Perhaps it should be started as soon as you are employed, to spread the load as it were.

The point is is should free up so much of the burden now put into the NHS

Story from the Guardian
www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/26/uk-ministers-looking-at-plans-to-raise-taxes-for-over-40s-to-pay-for-social-care?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

I think 40 is maybe a bit young to start paying, actually. Many 40-somethings will still be struggling with mortgages, possibly paying off student loans and thinking about how they’re going to help their own children go to university.

I also hope our age group will see some benefit from it.

Good to hear and hope it happens and works !