Housing 21 response to Dilnot Report

Pushpa Raguvaran. Chief Executive of Housing 21 said: "We welcome Andrew Dilnot’s review of care and support funding. The Government must act urgently to deal with the under funding of social care. We want to see greater investment in care with a particular focus on maintaining high quality standards and investing in training and support for care workers.

As a leading provider of care, health and housing services other issues of concern are:

People living with dementia may be unfairly penalised

It is well recognised that the chronic problems associated with our long term care system will get worse with an increasingly ageing population. As an acknowledged expert in dementia services, we have been concerned that people with dementia, who are likely to live with the illness for over seven years, will particularly see their funds depleted. We welcome a system that offers some comfort from the significant cost of care but we need clarity on exactly which provision the state would fund over and above the cap. It is vital to preserve a high quality of care.

Specialist housing can provide real solutions

The funding of the accommodation costs of residential care are excluded from Dilnot’s proposals. Though we welcome the cap on these we need a system that enables people to make real choices about the setting for their care. We are pleased that Dilnot recognises the role that Extra Care housing plays in providing a real alternative to residential care enabling people to continue to enjoy independent living as well as being part of the community. This form of housing not only reduces social isolation and vulnerability but is also a cost effective solution for providing long-term care. We welcome the fact that Dilnot has recognised the need to integrate housing, health and care to enable greater choice in care solutions.

We need a wider range of financial options

As it is likely the commission won’t recommend compulsory insurance it will at least call for strong incentives for individuals and the insurance sector to take action. We would like to see a range of products and choices to suit all – but we need a robust debate about areas such as the role that private insurance might play through to the option of equity release loans from local authorities. It will be vital, too, to ensure that older people and their families get independent advice from trusted sources so that they can make the right decisions at what will be a very difficult time. We all need to better understand the options for social care and health care so that people can plan effectively.

We are pleased that Attendance Allowance is to be protected and awareness raised about its purpose.

At Housing 21 we have helped our residents claim over £5 million in benefits, much of which as been Attendance Allowance. We know only too well of the financial hardship that some older people experience, all too often because they don’t know what they are entitled to or how to go about claiming."

Editor’s notes:

For further information, please contact Wendy Gornicki, PR & Information Officer, Housing 21 on 0370 192 4338 or email wendy.gornicki@housing21.co.uk

Housing 21’s mission is to promote independence and choice for older people through quality care, health and housing services. It provides around 124,000 hours of community care each week and manages 18,200 sheltered and extra care apartments.

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