Press Release

Gordon Brown's speech mentioning social care - Help the Aged response

23 September 2008

Responding to Gordon Brown’s speech at the Labour Party Conference where the Prime Minister outlined social care for older people as a key issue, Paul Cann, Director of Policy at Help the Aged, says:

“Dignity and hope for everyone in their later years is most definitely something the Prime Minister and his Government should aspire to achieve.  But for older people to have real hope - in the social care system, their financial future and society’s treatment of them – we need concrete actions today.  We all know what the problems in social care are, milestones to solve them are what is needed now.

“Older people don’t want to be forced into the cruel and unenviable decision to pay for care or face losing their home – the forthcoming Green Paper on social care reform must address this as a matter of urgency.  Small tick-box measures won’t be enough, because social care is already in crisis.

“Well over half of adults in England think the social care system is ‘depressing’.  ‘Confusing’ and ‘scary’ are other ways it is described(1).  The Prime Minister made an important statement about social care today – to allay people’s fears, now is the time for real and measurable action.”