§ Ms HarmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current public expenditure cost of supporting retired people in residential care; and what estimate he has made of these costs in(a) 2020 and (b) 2040. [20489]
§ Mr. Burns[holding answer 17 March 1997]: In 1994–95, the latest year for which this information is available, identified public expenditure on residential care for the elderly included £0.9 billion of local authority expenditure, net of income received, including fees and charges to clients, and £0.5 billion of Department of Social Security preserved rights income support. Information on residential allowance does not separately identify residential and nursing care. For residential and nursing care taken together, total net public expenditure on elderly by local authorities (net) and by DSS by means of preserved rights income support and residential allowance, amounted to about £2.7 billion in 1994–95. Future costs of long-term care discussed in the Health Committee report "Long Term Care: Future Provision and Funding", chapter IV, paragraphs 99 to 121, a copy of which is available in the Library.