Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average cost of keeping old persons in (a) hospital, (b) public sector old folks' accommodation and (c) private sector old folks' accommodation.
Mr. John PattenIn 1981–82 the average cost per day per in-patient for geriatric hospitals in England was £31; the costs of treating elderly patients in other hospitals are not identified separately from those of younger patients. The average cost of providing accommodation for residents supported by local authorities in public, private and voluntary homes was £12 a day, before allowing for charges paid by residents. We do not collect costing 247W information relating to private homes; but we know that charges vary very widely depending upon location, services provided and other factors.