New ideas for old

Main recommendations of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care are as follows:

The costs of long-term care to be split between the "hotel" element and personal care. Personal care to be available free after assessment according to need and hotel costs to be means tested.

A National Care Commission should be established to monitor trends and oversee standards in old people's homes.

The value of an elderly person's home to be disregarded under the means test for up to three months after admission to residential care.

Consideration to be given as to whether every new resident may be able to return home.

More care to be given to people in their own homes and more services to be offered to carers.

National Health Service and social services budgets to be pooled together with budgets for housing aids and adaptations.