Wealthier care home residents already subsidising lack of government funds

The row between Labour and the Conservatives about over funding elderly care is missing the point.
 
That’s according to a leading care home provider in the South-East.
 
The debate focuses on a proposal to tax wealthier elderly people to raise funds for the care of those less well-off.
 
But Nick Bruce, owner of the Nightingales Retirement Care Group, says the gap is already being filled by higher-paying care home residents.
 
“Retirement homes need a significant amount of money to run properly each week,” says Bruce.
 
“But only a small proportion of that is met with public funds.
 
“Local authorities allocate a certain amount of money for people without the means to pay for care themselves. But the government is simply not providing local councils with enough money to cover the costs.
 
“So many homes are forced to charge wealthier clients more than the value of the care they receive to make up the funding gap.

“It is very unfair on the people who have worked and saved hard all their lives for retirement to then see that money spent on someone else just because they too need care.”
 
Nightingales Retirement Care runs two homes in Bromley and Reigate, as well as a homecare service. But unlike other homes, Nightingales has a clear pricing policy and make a clear price promise.
 
“At Nightingales, we publish all our prices and treat all new clients on the same basis so that everyone gets what they are paying for.

“We believe every home should operate in this way – but we are also calling for the government to re-examine the amount they allocate for elderly care. The current amount just is not enough.”
 
Charities such as Age Concern which have been vocal in recent months about the funding gap between the cost of elderly care and the amount provided by the state.