𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

England has one of the least generous adult social care systems in the UK and beyond, according to Camille Oung from the Nuffield Trust.

The organisation’s analysis of 11 other countries or regions, including the three other UK nations, found England “stands out from the pack, in that people must also pass a financial test to be considered for any state-funded support at all”.

“Most of the other systems have some level of universal entitlement,” Ms Oung told the Press Association.

“It might not be that everybody gets the same thing. There are some systems where those who are better off get less. But it’s actually one of the few where there’s a hard cut-off based on how much money people have.

“I’d even say that if you compare it to other UK countries, it’s probably the least generous. Northern Ireland has free domiciliary care. Wales has higher means tests. Scotland has free personal care.”

While England’s approach of concentrating resources on those with the highest needs and the lowest means “can be justifiable”, she said the risk many face is they “end up with nothing” due to the £23,250 threshold to qualify for state support.

“You either don’t get the right level of care, depend on unpaid carers, or end up on your own,” she added.

The Nuffield Trust analysis found Denmark to have the most generous system, with anyone over 65 assessed as needing care able to access it for free – aside from the cost of accommodation in residential care – regardless of their financial circumstances.

Yvette Cooper is Andy Burnham’s pick for Health and Social Care Secretary.