§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 31 October,Official Report, column 208, what is the estimated cost in a full year of raising the threshold for contribution to the cost of residential care for the elderly from £8,000 to (a) £10,000, (b) £12,000, (c) £14,000 and (d) £16,000, assuming that the total capital disregard figure (i) remains at £3,000 and (ii) is increased to £6,000. [41928]
§ Mr. BowisThe table shows the estimated increased cost in a full year to local authorities personal social services expenditure of placing elderly people into residential care homes1.
Estimates have been made on the basis of generalised data from the elderly population as a whole and are a guide only. The figures quoted do not take account of any possible effects of such changes on Department of Social 683W Security expenditure, or of demographic changes. Such estimates would also depend on the rate of tariff income between the upper and lower thresholds.
Illustrative figures for raising thresholds to: (£ million England) Upper threshold £ Lower threshold-£3,000 Lower threshold-£6,000 10,000 3 20 12,000 4 22 14,000 5 23 16,000 7 25 1Figures do not include residents in nursing homes.