Another "tax" on it's way for England

**BrilloPad** · 14 July 2009, 07:14

Article on BBC news this morning : a lady asked to contribute 25% of her pension to her mother's care home fees!

**GreenerGrass** · 14 July 2009, 07:22

Originally posted by DimPrawn View Post

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8148116.stm

Older people in England could be asked to take out insurance to pay for long-term care in their old age.

In Scotland the provision of free personal care has proved popular, but very expensive and it is thought unlikely that ministers in England will adopt a similar policy.

So you pay your taxes and NI and now you must take out an insurance for your care? Except for the low paid and unemployed who'll get theirs free.

Pay, pay and pay again.

As you imply, surely if you need long term care you just liquidate all your assets, give the kids an early inheritance and get means-tested. Why would you need insurance apart from middle class guilt/shame at the above approach? You won't need much money if you're chair/bed bound anyway.

**Shimano105** · 14 July 2009, 07:34

NI pays for everyone's care now, it is not a savings scheme for your own health.

It is a con trick to make you believe that you are saving for your own care needs.

**shaunbhoy** · 14 July 2009, 07:35

Well as long as it is fair!!

**NotAllThere** · 14 July 2009, 07:37

NI doesn't even pay for everyone's care now. NI is a tax. The money collected goes into the same general pot as VAT, PAYE, fuel tax, insurance tax, stamp duty, and all the other taxes in the UK economy.

**DimPrawn** · 14 July 2009, 07:38

Originally posted by Shimano105 View Post

NI pays for everyone's care now, it is not a savings scheme for your own health.

It is a con trick to make you believe that you are saving for your own care needs.

I know this. But now the middle classes in England only, have to pay yet another tax to fund their own personal care, meaning everything you pay pays for everyone else except yourself!

And they wonder why people can't be bothered to work....

**expat** · 14 July 2009, 08:36

May I thank everyone (so far) for not coming up with the chestnut that English taxpayers are paying for Scottish benefits?

Now, the solution for those of us who live in England is the same as works in Scotland: elect a government that will choose to spend its money on that. Unfortunately that government would probably be a Labour one, and there doesn't seem to be such a party in England any more. While the idea of social spending is still alive in Scotland, the formerly Labour party in England has become New Labour, more intent on sucking up to money men and middle England in order to stay in power. Having done that, they spend their (our) money on maintaining Britain as a power on the world stage so that they can strut upon it (only an hour or two, as Macbeth reminds us, and then be heard no more).

In Scotland there are people who believe that long-term care, prescriptions, and higher education are worthwhile functions of government, and there are (therefore) governments that exercise these functions on behalf of the people.

How ironic that Scotland's emigré politicos organised the NL machine in England that prefers to tax more than ever but spend the money raised on anything but good causes.

**darmstadt** · 14 July 2009, 10:07

Its pretty much like that in Germany already. I have to look after my son until he leaves home or is 25 (something like that) yet he is responsible for me when I retire at 65 or so. I know someone here who ended up having to remortgage their house to look after their aged

**minestrone** · 14 July 2009, 10:28

Originally posted by DimPrawn View Post

In Scotland the provision of free personal care has proved popular, but very expensive and it is thought unlikely that ministers in England will adopt a similar policy.

I don't think it has worked out that well in practice. Local authorities are being really stretched to do this but are given no more funding, they seem to try and dodge it much of the time.

Another "tax" on it's way for England