All elderly people to get free personal care under £6bn Labour plan

This article was taken from: https://news.sky.com/story/all-elderly-people-to-get-free-personal-care-under-6bn-labour-plan-11817477

By Greg Heffer, political reporter, in Brighton

Announcing the plan in his conference speech, shadow chancellor John McDonnell will describe social care as a “national scandal”

All elderly people will be given free help in their own homes with washing, preparing meals, and getting in and out of bed under a £6bn scheme being proposed by Labour.

Under the party’s vision for a “National Care Service”, a Labour government would introduce free personal care for all older people in England living at home and in residential care.

Announcing the policy in his conference speech on Monday, shadow chancellor John McDonnell will describe the country’s social care sector as a “national scandal”.

“As the first building block in our new National Care Service the next Labour government will introduce personal care free at the point of use in England,” he will say.

“Funded not through the Conservatives’ gimmicky insurance schemes but, like the NHS and our other essentials, through general taxation.”

Mr McDonnell will add: “Nothing is more important than dignity in retirement for those who have built our country and given younger generations the world we live in today.”

Labour said their proposal was estimated, by the Kings Fund think tank, to cost taxpayers around £6bn in 2020/21.

The party added the plans would more than double the number of people receiving state-funded care; ensure people with dementia receive the same care as those with other conditions; and also reduce the burden on unpaid carers.

Labour is also pledging to halt the use of zero-hour contracts in the care sector, ensuring carers are paid a real living wage and including for travel time, as well as ending 15-minute care visits.

Barbara Keeley, Labour’s shadow minister for social care, said: “Nine years of cuts to local council budgets have pushed care services to the brink.

“For years, the Tories have failed to bring in much-needed reform, leaving too many people and their families struggling to afford the care they need.

“Tackling the crisis in social care is a priority for Labour.

“Our plans for social care will address the immediate crisis in care, double the number of people receiving publicly-funded care, and stop people with dementia being treated unfairly by the care system.

“It is vital that social care is a universally-available public service which provides dignity, security and compassionate care.

“Our National Care Service will have these principles at its core.”