Care Homes
Health
Hazel Blears (Salford and Eccles, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for Health
(1) what assessment he has made of the effect of not increasing the means test capital limit for residential care on (a) businesses, (b) charities and (c) voluntary bodies in the sector;
(2) what savings have accrued from maintaining the means test capital limit for residential care at the same level since 2010.
Paul Burstow (Minister of State (Care Services), Health; Sutton and Cheam, Liberal Democrat)
The Department has not made an assessment of the effect of not increasing the means test capital limit for residential care on businesses, charities and voluntary bodies in the sector.
The decision in the spending review 2010 not to increase capital limits was taken in order to help local authorities, at a time of financial stringency, to maintain the level of services they provide. The spending review 2010 covers Government spending up to April 2015. However, the capital limits are being kept under review in order to monitor the impact of not increasing them.