LIB DEMS FIRE ATTACK ON PENSIONERS (12/03/02)

Somerset's Lib Dems have put up the cost of home care to the elderly. Pensioners who have been careful and saved during your working life will be attacked. Anyone with more than £18,500 in savings must pay the full £10. per hour for home care.

Currently, the upper limit is £16,000. At this week’s Executive meeting, the Liberal Democrat justification for these charges was put forward. The elderly should pay, so that they don’t feel like charity cases.

Currently, a flat rate is charged for meals taken at day centres. No charge is made for transport. The recommendation is to charge £1 per journey. It might not sound like much but if you need to travel each day to receive care, it soon mounts up.

The maximum weekly charge will be set at £200. This is to discourage the elderly to enter residential homes.

Government says 'people must save more for their old age'. Yet, there are no incentives. If you do have savings, you are penalized. Labour’s policy of under funding Social Services aggravates the issue. Moreover, Lib Dem increases in Council red tape mean Somerset's elderly get a very raw deal.

Conservative Care and Safety spokesperson, Elaine Waymouth commented, ‘our elderly in Somerset are suffering. Nursing homes are closing, council tax is soaring, and now, their savings are being targeted.

‘Government has no idea what is happening at grassroots level. Liberal Democrats cannot cope with what is happening at grass roots level.

‘Those who have saved all their lives, to enjoy their retirement, should not be attacked. Also, those who require more care should not be expected to pay more. The philosophy behind the Welfare State is that care is distributed to those most in need. Labour want to destroy this system. Somerset Liberal Democrats are making their path an easier one.’