Ed Davey launches care manifesto as nursing home costs soar by 61%

EMBARGO: 22:30 Monday 24th June

• Ed Davey calls for cross-party commission on social care funding as part of new care manifesto
• Liberal Democrat Leader says UK is a “nation of carers” as he opens up about his experience as a carer
• Figures reveal cost of care in a nursing home has risen by £346 a week since 2015/16 

Ed Davey will today (Tuesday 25th June) launch a new manifesto for care, including calling for a cross-party commission on long-term social care funding and plans to deliver free personal care.

The Liberal Democrat Leader writes in the new paper that the UK is “a nation of carers” as he discusses caring for his ill mother whilst he was a teenager, before now caring for his disabled son, John. 

It comes as House of Commons Library research commissioned by the party reveals that the cost of care in nursing homes has increased by £346 a week (61%), from £563 in 2015/16 to £910 in 2022/23. This means nursing home residents are paying £10,800 a year more than if costs had risen in line with inflation. This dwarfs the increase in the Basic State Pension, which only went up by £25.90 a week in the same period.

The party’s ‘A Fair Deal on Care’ manifesto sets out key reforms including:

• Introducing free personal care in England, based on the model introduced by the Liberal Democrats in government in Scotland in 2002, so that provision is based on need, not ability to pay.
• Introducing a new £2-an-hour higher Care Worker’s Minimum Wage.
• Supporting unpaid carers by raising Carer’s Allowance and expanding it to more carers.
• Establishing a cross-party commission to forge a long-term agreement on sustainable funding for social care in England.

The reforms outlined in the paper would allow more people to be cared for in their own homes, easing the pressure on overcrowded hospital wards and costly residential care homes.

Ed Davey writes in the paper: 
“I’ve been a carer for much of my life. First, as a teenager, nursing my mum during her long battle against bone cancer.  And now as a father, Emily and I care for our disabled son John.

“There are millions of family carers across the UK looking after loved ones. We are a nation of carers. But for far too long, caring has been in the shadows. I am proud that the Liberal Democrats have brought it into the light.

“We are putting forward a bold and ambitious plan to make sure everyone can get the support they need: people who need care; the amazing care workers who provide it; and the unpaid family carers who provide it too.

“Every vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to elect a strong local champion who will fight every day for care and carers.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

‘A Fair Deal on Care: The Liberal Democrat plan for care and carers’ can be found here.

The House of Commons Library research can be found here. Nursing homes have qualified nurses and care assistants to provide medical care as needed.

The Liberal Democrats have previously announced they would reverse Conservative tax cuts for the big banks to fund free personal care and the Care Workers’ Minimum Wage.

The latest Liberal Democrat PEB can be found here.

Notes from the Library:

The attached spreadsheet contains available data from 2015/16 to 2022/23 on the average weekly costs for those aged 65 and over accessing long-term social care support in nursing care, residential care and residential and nursing care. The data is taken from NHS Digital’s Adult Social Care Activity and Finance data series and reflects the prices local authorities pay for care home provision.

The Library has also included what care home fees would be had they increased in line with inflation each year and I have then compared this with the actual rates.

The table also shows the percentage increase in the actual fees each year.  You can then compare this with the details of annual inflation and the state pension triple lock uprating factors – these figures are shown in the final two columns of the table.