We’re still waiting Prime Minister
22 months ago, Boris pledged to ‘fix social care once and for all’... yet desperate Elaine fears she won’t be able to afford to pay for dying husband Michael’s funeral
A WIFE nursing her dying husband has voiced her fury at Boris Johnson’s broken pledge to “fix” social care.
Elaine Yates, 71, who cannot afford Michael’s funeral, spoke as the PM’s 2019 vow is unlikely to be in today’s Queen’s speech.
ALMOST two years after Boris Johnson vowed to fix the care system, those suffering under its collapse must now wait even longer for that promise to materialise.
The PM faces accusations of making empty pledges as desperate care workers called for him to finally follow up his bold words with action.
But after the pandemic exposed how far the system has crumbled there was fury Mr Johnson’s worthy words will barely feature in today’s Queen’s speech.
On July 24, 2019 – 657 days ago – he stood on the steps of Downing Street and declared: “We will fix the crisis in social care once and for all with a clear plan we have prepared to give every older person the dignity and security they deserve.” He vowed no one “would have to sell their home” to pay for care.
Yet around 1.5 million elderly people do not get help they need and many cannot afford basic living costs.
They include Elaine Yates, 71, who is now so poor she cannot afford to pay for dying husband Michael’s funeral. And there are fears the numbers will soar with more delays.
But Tory insiders admit that a “fudge” is on the cards after Mr Johnson and Chancellor and Rishi Sunak failed to reach agreement on funding.
Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Boris Johnson made a solemn promise to the British people on the steps of Downing Street that he would quickly bring forward a solution to social care. The test of the Queen’s Speech is whether he delivers on his word. The pandemic has shown the tragic folly of failing to invest and reform social care. We need change now.”
The Mirror’s Fair Care for
All campaign demands the elderly are afforded proper care, dignity and security. Care funding is expected to be touched on in today’s programme but there is unlikely to be any detail given. The Local Government Association warned in a letter to Mr Sunak that one-off Government grants and the social care council tax precept were simply “sticking plaster solutions”.
Many elderly people in the care system depend on under-paid, stretched staff working for hard-up firms as councils make cuts.
The pandemic has significantly increased the need for social care, with one in four (23%) of over-60s finding it harder to carry out everyday activities, such as using the stairs or walking.
Age UK’s Caroline Abrahams said: “Before the pandemic we already knew that 1.6 million older people had some unmet need for care, but our new research means this awful statistic could rocket even higher this year unless the Government acts fast.”
Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove has said a social care reform plan would be “heading for the statute books” by the end of the year. But for many, that will come too late.
When asked over the weekend about the situation, the PM was unable to guarantee the proposals would be detailed today. He is said to favour proposals to cap annual costs for individuals at £45,000 with the state covering the rest. But there are fears among Tories that would require big cuts or tax rises up to £5billion a year.
The Department of Health and Social Care said: “Improving the adult social care system remains a priority.”
It comes as Mr Johnson sparked alarm last night by suggesting his plans for voter ID would be aimed at those polling for the first time – who are mostly Labour supporters.