Local Government Association

Serious debate needed about how care of an ageing population is funded

Commenting on the new research that has found that dementia costs the UK £17billion every year, the Local Government Association has warned that people will not receive free basic care when they reach old age, as all of these services could be withdrawn completely by 2009 due to a growing funding gap.

Lord Bruce-Lockhart, chairman of the LGA, said:

"Unless the Government takes urgent action, older people may not receive basic care to help them stay at home by April 2009. Hundreds of thousands could lose or have to pay for the little services that mean so much, like help with washing or getting dressed.

"Older people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. Councils want to provide the services they need and help them safely through the day, but are increasingly unable to do so because central government funding has not kept pace with the demands of an ageing population. This is not a situation that older people deserve or indeed expect.

Read the press release