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Original poster

Going into a care home? to pay or not to pay..?

86 replies

onebadbaby · 22/04/2010 21:19

Following the election debate- was just wondering what others think about this- conservatives are proposing that old folk pay 8k upfront now and then pay nothing if they do need a care home later, Labour propose wave the fees after the first 2 years, God knows what the Lib Dem policy is- they don't appear to have one.

I think I like labours policy best- it seems the fairest.

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 23/04/2010 08:59

taxes are not an insurance policy or a pay in, get out system.

expatinscotland · 23/04/2010 08:58

well said, thursdaynamechange.

people just want to inherit someone's house to sell for money.

having it to sell buys you choice in care.

what's 'unfair' about that, that relatives can't get hold of money after the person dies?

that's basically legislation protecting peoples' potential inheritance. so how is that 'fair', either?

people want it all: a government to pay for everything cradle to grave (with the grave part getting farther and farther away) but not the taxes or loss on inheritance to go with it.

it doesn't work that way, folks, or, as they say in economics, 'there's no such thing as a free lunch.'

thursdaynamechange · 23/04/2010 08:57

All carers should be supported properly - they save the country a fortune and they are marvellous.

alypaly · 23/04/2010 08:55

so when i was looking after my mum 24/7 and doing a part time job and single handedly looking afetr 2 children...the so called state would not pay me for my 24/7 care which seriously affected my life,my health,my children. i applied for careres allowance but was told i couldnt receive anything as i had a part time job. So much for a good government. Wheres the fairness there.

They are good at taking money off you and crap at giving you support when you do your absolute best to look after them yourself.I even had to financially account for things that i bought for my mum in my home to benefit her life. like changing her bedroom so that she could find the door (alzeihmers)They wouldnt even let me replace the carpet she had defaecated on ....that was down to me too.

How come its free in scotland . Think i will move there.

Ivykaty44 · 23/04/2010 08:51

So what happenes if I don't have 8k to pay up front? Does that mean I don't get to go into a care home?

What will labour do after the first 2 years?

What happens if I do have 8k and give that and then the goveremnt change and they change the rules and say I can't have care any longer without paying - will I get my 8k back?

thursdaynamechange · 23/04/2010 08:45

I think a lot of people in Britain can't count. If you go into a home for 5 years do people really think the state should pay for it?

Why?

The taxes we pay are to support the society we live in NOW - society cannot possibly afford for us all to live an extra 30-40 years on a pension and the last 5 of those in a care home at £2000 a week.

That is more than they will have earned/contributed in their working life.

When I have to go into a home, take it all off me (along with my other assets) and use it to pay for my care.

alypaly · 23/04/2010 08:40

onebbadbaby......my mum was initialy in a social services care home costing £1800 a month. This was for four years,then she was transferred to a private nursing hoeme at £4,400 a month. Soon made a whole in her £80k house value and all her savings. She would turn over in her grave now if she knew it had all gone her care. She always said everything was for her children.
As a relative and daughter it actually started to cost me money as i was only allowed (ONLY ALLOWED)to spend £17.20 of my mums money on her. That really really made me sooooooooo angry to be told what i could spend her money on.

longfingernails · 23/04/2010 08:13

Onebadbaby

That is why I think the Tory proposals are only workable if you can take the £8000 out of the value of your house when you retire - which I am sure they would be.

I think most people would think it was better to give up £8000 of your home value than the whole thing.

As for people not using it - that is the whole point of an insurance scheme. You take out insurance hoping you won't have to use it, but with peace of mind if you do. And the fact that most people won't use it keeps costs down for everyone.

As I explained above, I don't think they will make a "tidy earning" overall because I don't think they will get enough people who don't use it into the insurance pool. Can't remember the precise figures offhand, but I remember their actuarial estimates being something like a 1 in 5 takeup. I would estimate that it would be more like 1 in 3.

Original poster
onebadbaby · 23/04/2010 08:00

Back in the early '90s my grandma had to go into a residential care home, and as a result she had to sell her house to pa for that. I think she was in the home for 5 years, and when she dies there was not a single penny left in her estate. I think that is so unfair. Granted, it was before the days of the property boom and her house was only worth 30000K, property has risen significantly and paying for care may now be a smaller proportion of the total value. I do still think it is a very unfair system- the house itself may me a family heirloom and break many families hearts if they have to sell it.

Conservatives policy may work for some, but what if they can't afford to pay up front? and they will also stand to make a tidy earning from those that pay the 8K but never use the care. I am not sure what the costs of a care home are, but paying for the first 2 years appears fair because it will only be paid by those that require it, although of course it is still a flawed system.

OP posts:
longfingernails · 23/04/2010 01:46

I am a Tory supporter but I don't think their social care plans here are feasible (although apparently they have been actuarially costed). Still much better than Labour's proposals though.

The obvious problem is that the insurance scheme will be most popular amongst those most likely to need care - those with more serious medical conditions at the time they retire, for example.

If people have taken out an expensive insurance premium it will make them more likely to take up residential care.

Also, it won't cover in-home care.

Nevertheless, I don't think a compulsory tax is the way forward. The Tories' proposal is the best on the table, provided you are allowed to take the £8000 premium out of the value of your house if necessary.

The Labour proposal is spin, because the numbers of people who need residential social care for more than 2 years is tiny.

I don't know what the Lib Dem policy is either, other than they want consensus on the issue. As there obviously isn't consensus on the main point - should funding be voluntary or compulsory - it seems it is stupid to keep on saying everyone should agree.

alypaly · 23/04/2010 01:27

its cheaper to pay £8k up front.....my mums home was £4.400 a month and she was in a home for 5 years