The Labour Party has announced new plans for a major increase in the number of home care packages for older people and people living with dementia, to ensure older people and younger adults with disabilities are properly cared for.
This, they say, would reverse the reductions made by the Tories in Government since 2015 and the party estimates could provide support to over 160,000 older people who currently get no help at all, including 50,000 people with dementia.
The new proposals include s £2.8 billion to increase the number of home care packages for vulnerable people and people with dementia.
£350 million of investment in training to develop the Social Care workforce and uprating the carers allowance in line with job seeker’s allowance and ensuring that the earnings threshold for carers allowance rises year on year, in line with the National Living Wage.
The party would also pledge £350 million per year to help people with autism and learning disabilities move back into the community from inappropriate inpatient units and provide home care packages support people to live independently in their own home by providing help with daily tasks such as getting in and out of bed, bathing and washing, and preparing meals.
Labour also pledged to ensure that everyone gets good quality care and an end to 15 minute care visits.
Labour has said that people with dementia are “unfairly punished” by having to pay for social care when people with other conditions often receive care through ‘NHS continuing care’.
Labour’s pledge to help people with autism and learning disabilities move back into the community aims to stop children and adults being unnecessarily detained in mental health hospitals.
Age UK has estimated that 1,000 elderly people a day are being admitted to hospital needlessly amid a crisis in social care.
There were over 383,000 care users in the North West last year who could have benefited from Labour’s new social care fund.
Barbara Keeley MP, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Mental Health, said:
“This Tory Government has shamefully abandoned older people and young adults with care needs.
“There is still no sign of their Social Care Green Paper which was promised over two years ago and vulnerable older people have needlessly suffered as a result of the Government’s failure.
“People with dementia are unfairly punished when it comes to paying for their care needs so Labour will correct this injustice in government.
“We want care staff to be properly paid and trained, so that they can provide the kind of compassionate care that they want to give.
“We must offer dignity and security to all vulnerable people.”
