When I’m 94

Cross party discussion behind closed doors on social care quickly turned into hostility between the main political parties. However, efforts are again being made to engage in cross party debate. Our latest research 'When I’m 94' highlights that the public are not prepared to face up to the challenges of paying for social care. Politicians need to engage with and remember that citizens are important stakeholders in determining the future of social care.

There is consensus that social care should be provided by the state for everyone according to their needs; but not unlike politicians (although much less bitter) the consensus becomes fragile when it comes to discussions about how to pay. Despite not necessarily agreeing on the method of payment – as people often make decisions about care when they are financially and emotionally vulnerable – most people we spoke to wanted financial decisions to be decoupled from choices they made about care. And many were reluctant to pay a lump sum at the point of need. Indeed, there was a preference to make payments over the life course.

But the system is far too complex, even those who were navigating their way through it thought so. The public do not have a clear idea of how the care system works beyond rejecting what is currently available and asking for a fairer and simpler system. As the issue of social care seems likely to remain on the election agenda and beyond, the public needs to be better engaged, to build a wider consensus that includes current and future care users.

'When I’m 94: How to fund care for an ageing population' is available now from www.ippr.org/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=737

Dalia Ben-Galim, senior research fellow, ippr