HC Deb 03 December 2001 vol 376 c141W
Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance he plans to give to people who take the responsibility of looking after elderly family members and are not able to work. [19358]

Jacqui Smith

Through the National Strategy for Carers, we are making resources available to help carers. We introduced the Carers Grant in 1999, the sole purpose of which is to enable local councils to enhance provision of community care and children's services and in particular to enable carers to take a break from their caring role. To reach the NHS Plan target of ensuring that 75,000 more carers receive a break by 2004, the Carers Grant will increase from £70 million this year to £100 million in financial year 2003–04.

The Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000, which came into force in April, gives local councils further duties and powers to help carers.

In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced a package of measures last Autumn that will provide over £500 million extra support for carers over three years, from which more than 300,000 carers could benefit financially.

Mr. Jim Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance he will give pensioners to help with the costs of long-term care. [19354]

Jacqui Smith

The NHS Plan announced that an additional £1.4 billion a year would be made available for improving services and standards of care for older people by 2003–04. Over £400 million of the £1.4 billion represents funds for a range of reforms to the long-term care system which we have introduced. These reforms will assist pensioners with the costs of long-term care and many of them have already been enacted. Free nursing care in nursing homes for current self-funders was introduced from October, as has a system of deferred payments to avoid people having to sell their homes when they first enter residential care. Since April the value of a property has been disregarded for 12 weeks when undertaking the residential care means test.