Care Support Independence

However we share the responsibility for care and support, the Government will have a finite amount of money to spend. We now need to think about how that money could used to help people who need care and support.

 There are three trade offs:

• National or local?
•  Different systems for different needs?
• More support for people with low income and assets?

National or local?

In the future should central government or local government decide who is entitled to help and what they are entitled to? The pros and cons are summarised below:

National

Pros:

• Everyone with the same care and support needs will get the same level of help.
• We will be encouraged to plan more because we will know what we kind of help we are going to get. 

Cons:

• Levels of support will depend on how much central government wants to spend on care and support.
• The help we get won’t take into account local differences. For example, if we live in a rural area, we might need more help with transport than if we live in a town.

Local 

Pros:

• We can have more of a say in what kind of help is provided.
• Levels of help can take account of local differences.

Cons:

• Levels of help will depend on how much money your local authority wants to spend on care and support.
• Help will vary depending on where you live, making it difficult to plan or to move.

Please note: this trade off isn’t about who delivers or provides actual care and support services, which will still be done by local organisations.

Different systems for different needs?

In the future, should the same help be given to everyone who needs it or should the government give more help to people who are unable to plan and prepare for their own care and support? The pros and cons are summarised below:

Different systems 

Pros:

• Priority can be given to people who’s condition is rarer and associated with high costs. For example, disabled people or people who have had an accident or a sudden illness.

Cons:

•  We will have to take more responsibility for preparing for those care and support costs which are likely in older age.

Same for all 

Pros:

• Everybody gets the same 

Cons:

• Disabled people or people who become ill or have an accident could lose out because they cannot afford their care and support they need.

More support for people with low income and assets?

In the future, should the same help be given to everyone who needs it or should the government give more help to people with low incomes and assets? The pros and cons are summarised below.

Different support 

Pros:

• Support is targeted towards the people who need it the most.

Cons:

• People who have worked hard and made sensible financial decisions could feel that they are being penalised.

Same for all 

Pros:

• Everybody gets the same.

Cons:

• People who do not need financial help will get it anyway.
•  People on the lowest incomes may not get the care and support they need.