Call for more care cash

A petition with 100,000 names on it has been handed in to Downing Street, calling for more financial support for elderly people needing long term care.

The alliance of campaigners, taking in unions, patients and charities, says that tens of thousands of those having to pay their care home fees can't afford it.

But as people have often told Working Lunch, even those whose care is paid for by the state have money problems.

The system is fairly complicated because it differentiates between nursing care and personal care - things like dressing and washing.

Pocket money

If you have savings of less than £12,000, the state pays for all your care, but you're only left with pocket money for yourself.

Even if you're in a home you're entitled to a quality of life. Karen Squires

The state help peters out so that those with savings of more than £19,500, including the value of their house or flat, will only have nursing care paid for - most likely in a nursing home.

Scotland is the exception, because the Scottish Executive has decided to pay for personal care as well.

Karen Squires's mother Doreen is in a home and unable to look after herself properly.

Social services pick up the bill for her care but they claw back most of Doreen's pension to help meet the charges, leaving her with £2.50 a day pocket money.

Resources

"Even if you're in a home you're entitled to a quality of life," says Karen.

"If you want to have your hair done, if you want buy a new dress, go on a little outing, why should you not have that small amount of money?"

Clare Rayner: Campaigning

The writer Clare Rayner is backing the call for more resources.

Her main complaint concerns people with modest means who don't pass the means test like Karen's mother.

They are left to pay for care in a home which would be free if they were in hospital.

Sonmeone with a brain tumour who could not look after themselves would get cared for by the NHS, she points out.

"If you have Alzheimer's Disease, which is an equally organic brain disease with exactly the same symptoms, the government isn't interested.

Example

"There's no provision in the NHS for caring for people with Alzheimer's - they have to care for themselves.

"Those are the people who will have to go into care homes," says Clare.

Stephen Ladyman: Services for everybody

So why won't the government in Westminster follow Scotland's example and pay for both nursing and personal care for everyone who has to go into a home?

"It would cost about £1bn a year. We've chosen to spend that £1bn a year on services for everybody rather than giving the money for free personal care to people who've got assets of their own," says Stephen Ladyman, Minister for Community.

The personal expenses allowance - or pocket money - paid to those who do have their bills covered by the state is £17.50 a week, or £2.50 a day.

What's the chance of that being increased?

Mr Ladyman says that money is just for small items - everything else people need is covered by the public purse.

At least Doreen Squires has daughter Karen to pay for those everyday needs not covered by the £2.50 a day allowance.

Other elderly people in care are not so fortunate.