Funding black hole for PM's home care plan

By William Green on Nov 26, 09 03:20 PM

I was lucky enough to hear Armando Iannucci - creator of The Thick of It - earlier this week.

He joked about an episode that featured a minister about to make an announcement, only to phoned up by the Treasury and told not to because there was no money. Sound familiar?

Next the minister had make up something in the back of the car on the way to make the announcement. Mr Iannucci revealed that former Cabinet Minister James Purnell later said he was that minister in that car!

Well, if you want back of the fag packet policies - you should try Gordon Brown's free home care scheme for those in "highest need".

The PM heralded it as a massive step forward, but the wheels are following off. In fact, has someone been economical with the truth about the cost?

During the Queen's Speech, a figure of £670m was given as the annual cost. But a reading of a civil service impact assessment of the scheme appears to reveal an extra £335m "one-off cost".

On top of that, the scheme is due to be introduced in October 2010. For starters, that is after the next general election when things may have changed somewhat.

Here is the next howler: "Due to uncertainties in certain components of estimated benefits, it is not possible to say whether the net benefits of this intervention definitely outweigh the costs."

By the way, "re-enablement" is about giving people back the skills to live independently. But curiously, it will only be for two months and only one package will be provided per person.

It is due to start in October 2010. And for under-pressure carers, there will be a six-week limit. That sparks the question of why bother in cold financial terms...

Future funding is a big black hole of mystery. Councils will have to pay up, while the consultation says it does not address how free personal care will be "distributed" after 2011-12.

There is another slightly confusing point. I understand palliative care is free on the NHS, although some social service help may be means tested.

Under the scheme, the individual would have an initial assessment with a council and then:

"Where appropriate (in the majority of cases, but excluding those receiving palliative care) the council would provide a period of intense intervention or re-ablement to build or re-build skills and functioning - supporting people's independence."

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