Residential Care Homes (Hansard, 4 February 1991)

§ 12. Mr. Sims
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received concerning the level of income support available to people in residential care homes.

§ Miss Widdecombe
We have received many representations from individuals and bodies.

§ Mr. Sims
I thank my hon. Friend for that answer and for the time and trouble that she devoted to speaking and answering questions at the lobby organised last week by the National Care Homes Association. At the meeting I am sure that she realised the strength of concern among residents and care home owners about the gap between income support and the charges that have to be imposed by home owners. Has my hon. Friend had the opportunity to study the Age Concern critique of the Price Waterhouse survey? Will she study it carefully and consider making a more detailed survey of the true costs of running care homes, so that income support can be fixed at a realistic level?

§ Miss Widdecombe
My hon. Friend, who should be congratulated on the way in which he chaired the lobby last week, will be aware that we have already made substantial improvements to income support for the elderly in nursing homes, as we have for those in residential care. He will be aware that those in nursing homes received a considerable increase of £45 a week. Of course, we shall continue to keep the matter under review, although he will also be aware that after 1993 the position will change for new residents. I shall study the documents from Age Concern, as I shall consider all representations made to us, and my hon. Friend may rest assured that the Government regard it as extremely important that we have the levels right and that we fix them at a reasonable rate.

§ Mr. Flynn
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. May I say to the hon. Lady—

Hon. Members
No.

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. No.

§ Mr. Flynn
I intend to raise this matter on the Adjournment—

§ Mr. Speaker
That means that others may not ask supplementary questions.

§ Mr. Flynn
rose—

§ Mr. Speaker
If the hon. Gentleman says that he wishes to raise the matter on the Adjournment, I am afraid that that is the end of the question. Sir Rhodes Boyson—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."] Order. It was not the hon. Gentleman's question, so I withdraw that. I call Mr. Madden.

§ Mr. Madden
How many elderly people does the Minister think will go to bed tonight in residential homes fearful that they may be evicted because neither they nor their relatives have the money to pay the required fees? Does she really describe the income support limit, which will go up to £160 in April—just £5 a week above the current level—as a substantial increase? Why will not she come clean and be honest with all those people running homes, working in them and living in them that there is just not enough money? When is it going to be increased?

§ Miss Widdecombe
The hon. Gentleman would do well to study the Price Waterhouse report in some detail. We based our uprating on the findings of that report, which was a comprehensive survey. The answer to the first part of his question about how many old people will go to bed worried tonight is none.