Oldham's elderly people paid £6.8million in social care charges in 2007 - Alcock

11.28.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 9th Oct 2008

Oldham Borough Liberal Democrats have revealed that £6,756,000 was spent by Oldham's elderly people on nursing home charges and home help in 2007.

Means-testing means that anyone with more than £22,500 in assets receives no state assistance for nursing home care. This can cost up to £700 a week for accommodation and meals.

Mark Alcock, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Oldham West & Royton, said, "Sadly we have a system under this Labour Government which charges some of the most vulnerable in our society when they need our help the most.

"I think it is totally wrong that people who have been careful with money all their lives suddenly have to sell their assets when they get old or sick. Some couples are having to sell their homes so that one of them can be cared for and this is wrong.

"The number of people this affects is set to increase and it is a sorry state of affairs that hundreds of local people who have scrimped and saved all their lives get penalised in this way.

"The Liberal Democrats want to use £2 billion to pay for care for elderly people nationwide. This is a viable scheme. The Liberal Democrats introduced this in Scotland and it worked really well.

"If the government can pay for it in Scotland, why can't they pay for it in England?

"In the long term it also makes economic sense because people, knowing that care will be provided at no cost to them, can stay out of hospital for longer - which would save the taxpayer money."