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Care and support - what help is available?

People receive care and support to help them do everyday things like live in their own homes, work, go shopping and care for their family.

Public, private and charitable organisations provide care, as well as friends, family and community groups. It is paid for by individuals and by general and local taxes.

The people who generally need the most care and support are the elderly, people with a long-term illness and the disabled. Care and support available includes:

• benefits for disabled people
• occupational therapy
• day-care and residential care homes
• support for carers
• housing support services

• Care and support debate Opens new window

• Caring for someone

• Disabled people

Why the need for change?

Huge pressures are being put on existing services. In 1948 life expectancy was 66 while today it is 78. For the first time there are more people over the age of 65 than there are under the age of 18.

The current system is also unfair. Some people have to pay tens of thousands of pounds, or even sell their house, to pay for care. Someone with Alzheimer’s, for example, could have to pay up to £200,000.

Reasons to change how care is delivered include:

• people want care and support that is designed around their needs
• people want a greater say in the care and support they receive
• the current system is too complicated and does not always give value for money
• levels of care and support vary in different parts of the country
• people are living longer
• the ratio of retired people to working people is growing

What has been proposed?

The government has proposed creating a new National Care Service to provide "fair, simple and affordable" care for everyone in England.

Under the National Care Service, everyone will get some care for free. Three ways of paying for the National Care Service have been proposed:

• partnership – splitting the cost of care between the government and the person who needs care, with the government paying a quarter to a third of the cost (more for people on a low income)
  
• insurance – like partnership, with the government paying between a third and a quarter, but helping people to take out insurance to cover care costs
  
• comprehensive – everyone who can afford it would pay into a state insurance scheme meaning everyone who needs care will get it free
  

Have your say by 13 November 2009

You can join the Big Care Debate and either comment on the government's proposals or suggest your own. Have your say online by following the link below.

• Have your say - Big Care Debate Opens new window

Contact the consultation team

Green Paper Team
Room 149 Richmond House
79 Whitehall
London SW1A 2NS

• Email the Care and Support consultation Opens new window

Further information

• Care and support consultation Opens new window

• Department of Health Publications Order Line Opens new window