Cost of social care

Revised Scottish Government e s t i m a t es reveal a ma s s i ve increase in the future cost of providing free personal care, The Sunday Post can reveal.

Our ageing population will put an unprecedented strain on the public purse, with an extra 20,000 elderly people relying on the controversial policy.

When free personal care was launched in 2002, First Minister Henry McLeish said it would cost £125 million a year.

But costs have since soared and figures now show the policy is expected to cost a staggering £ 1.8 billion a year by 2039, outstripping the previous estimate of £1.3bn by 2033.

The n umb er of ov e r- 6 5 s needing the policy is projected to grow to 97,000 by 2039, standing at around 77,000 today.

The Scottish Government has been forced to underline its support for the policy amid concern the benefit could become unsustainable.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Donald Cameron said: “It’s hugely important for the SNP to keep a watchful eye on the long- term affordability of this initiative.”

It comes as Health Secretary Sh o na Ro b i s o n launches a feasibility study on Frank’s Law, which would see the policy extended to assessing the under- 65s who have health problems.

Scottish Liberal Democrat social care spokeswoman Karen Clark questioned whether the policy was affordable should Scotland choose independence in the future.

She said: “Free personal care for the elderly was one of the great success stories of the time Liberal Democrats were in government.

“It provides enormous benefits to people.

“We also support the introduction of Frank’s Law, which would see the extension of free