§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people pay the cost of their nursing home care(a) in full and (b) in part; and how many have their costs entirely met through (i) income support or (ii) their local authority. [40187]
Mr. BowlsFigures published by Laing and Buisson in "Care of Elderly People: Market Survey 1995" suggest that in February 1994 an estimated 41,000 elderly or physically handicapped people in nursing homes in Great Britain were "self-payers".
The total number of nursing home residents with preserved rights to the higher levels of income support was 85,000, in November 1994, of whom around 1,000 were wholly dependent on income support.
At 31 March 1994, local authorities in England were supporting, in whole or in part, a total of 25,200 adults in nursing homes. Some residents placed in nursing homes through arrangements made by local authorities will also receive income support. Almost all residents placed by local authorities will make some contribution towards the costs from their income such as pensions. Some residents of nursing homes have been placed there and paid for by local health authorities.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost of(a) doubling and (b) trebling the present £8,000 capital disregard for nursing home fees. [40191]
Mr. BowlsIt would depend on the total capital disregard threshold and the rate of tariff income between that and the upper figure.
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is his estiamte of the number of people who have had to sell their homes to fund the cost of their long term stay in(a) residential and (b) nursing homes in each of the last five years. [40179]
§ Mr. MorganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, what is the average length of time a person spends in full-time nursing care. [40183]