Alternatives to Dilnot - report

The Dilnot proposals for reforming care funding in England are so flawed that the UK Government should look at alternatives to fund better care for our ageing population, according to a new report published by social enterprise United for All Ages.

The ‘Ten Dilnot Flaws’ paper calls for a national health and care system funded by taxation. It says that integrating health and care would deliver better care for older and disabled people, while saving resources by using more appropriate care in or near the home rather than expensive hospital or residential care. A new health and care system could be funded from these savings; by diverting spending from other areas; by taxing universal benefits for older people; or by a new care duty on estates of wealthier older people.

As well as proposing the integration of health and care over the next four years, the paper suggests some immediate steps to address the care crisis. These include raising the assets threshold for paying for care to £250,000; introducing universal deferred payments; making specialist financial advice easy to access; and extra support for carers.

“Dilnot is not the answer but there is a real danger that the country is sleep-walking into accepting it. All the parties should look at alternatives that are simpler fairer and more sustainable,” said Stephen Burke, director of United for All Ages and the Good Care Guide.

“An integrated health and care system would better meet the needs of individual older people and save substantial resources by developing better care and support outside hospitals and residential care,” he argued. “This could be the equivalent of the creation of the NHS for the 21st century to support our ageing population. If the political will is there, government could find the necessary funding to make it happen. If action isn’t taken, older people and their families will increasingly be left to struggle on their own.”