...as only one in ten over-55s put aside cash

JUST over one in ten adults over the age of 55 have put aside money to pay for care when they get older, research suggests.

The 12 per cent who have saved for their care contrasts with 55 per cent who said they prioritise things they want now ahead of planning for future care.

Only 34 per cent have discussed their preferences for care in later life with a friend or relative, while 19 per cent said they did not know where to look for information about care, according to the survey of 2,104 adults by Which?, the consumer group.

The findings, published ahead of the green paper, suggest that any policy proposals that put the burden of planning for care on ordinary people may be doomed to fail.

Alex Hayman, of Which, said: ‘The Government must recognise that most people won’t have made extensive plans for their care, so the system must be designed to help people get the support they need at a time of crisis and stress.’