The Government has been told that much needed Dilnot proposals on funding long term care and support can only be paid for by raising taxes or cutting spending in the next Comprehensive Spending Review in 2013.
Implementing the proposals will cost around £2.5bn per year and Downing Street has admitted that the report will be kicked into the “medium length grass” while the Government considers ways to pay for them. But the Social Market Foundation think tank has already calculated where the savings can come from.
SMF Director Ian Mulheirn said:
“The £2.5bn price tag for Dilnot’s proposals cost shouldn’t be an excuse for further delay – nor should funding come at the expense of people of working age.
“By cutting winter fuel payments to all but the poorest third of pensioners and axing free bus passes for the over-60s, the Government can raise over £2.8bn per year – a fair quid pro quo to pay for these important reforms.”
- The proposals to scrap winter fuel payments for better off pensioners and end free bus passes are detailed in the SMF report Axing and Taxing, which outlines the SMF’s suggested budget cuts to tackle the deficit.