Labour is considering a plan to raise National Insurance contributions to fund a guaranteed minimum level of care for the elderly, The Independent has learnt. The aim would be to end the current "postcode lottery" over the services provided to the elderly in their own homes, and to avoid the need for old people to sell their property to fund expensive care home fees. Ministers describe these issues as "unfinished business" from when the modern welfare state was set up by Labour after the Second World War.The Government will set out its initial thinking in a Green Paper on long-term care next week.An expansion of social care is emerging as one of the "big ideas" for a fourth term to be included in Labour's general election manifesto.Under the plans, social care would not be nationalised, but tailored to individual needs through different providers.It would be brought into line with the NHS, so that people would know what support to expect, ending the anxiety and uncertainty caused by the existing patchwork system. No decisions have been made, and ministers want a big national debate first.
Labour is considering a plan to raise National Insurance contributions to fund a guaranteed minimum level of care for the elderly, The Independent has learnt.
The aim would be to end the current "postcode lottery" over the services provided to the elderly in their own homes, and to avoid the need for old people to sell their property to fund expensive care home fees. Ministers describe these issues as "unfinished business" from when the modern welfare state was set up by Labour after the Second World War.
The Government will set out its initial thinking in a Green Paper on long-term care next week.
An expansion of social care is emerging as one of the "big ideas" for a fourth term to be included in Labour's general election manifesto.
Under the plans, social care would not be nationalised, but tailored to individual needs through different providers.
It would be brought into line with the NHS, so that people would know what support to expect, ending the anxiety and uncertainty caused by the existing patchwork system. No decisions have been made, and ministers want a big national debate first.
More regressive taxation.
When they suggested creating a bracket with a higher marginal rate there was lots of gnashing of teeth over creeping socialism and a turn to the left. But raising NI contributions (which are already regressive as less is paid proportionally on higher incomes) won't be criticised.
"Labour" all right. A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds; a man of deeds and not of words is like a garden full of turds — Anonymous
