The Future of Social Care was decided in 2014!

Some people may look at the title and wonder if they've missed something. For me and some others actually realise where actually now fighting a rear guard action. The decision as to how the future of care will be funded was decided before 2014.

So you want proof, or justification for my claim then please have a close look at the Care Act 2014 and the Statutory Guidance that goes with it. It's the law it was introduced under a great fanfare, a certain renowned commentator recently called the Act a Rolls Royce without fuel. Now let me explain where that fuel is going to come from. It’s there in black and white. Sec 34 of the Act onwards already allows for the introduction of regulations’ by ministers to allow local authorities to allow deferred payments.  I read this to mean in essence a future charge on your estate including your property. If anyone can tell me a different meaning of this will be happy to hear it. This belief is further enhanced by clarification in the statutory guidance part 9 gives advice regarding differed payments. It's quite clear it says people shouldn’t be forced to sell their homes whilst still alive and that this helps with the transition. The main point is 'whilst alive'. What happens after is another matter. 

Most of the adults who are the next to go through the care crises will be those who are presently in the 40/50 +. These where the same people who were encouraged to buy their own houses and invest in the property boom of the mid 80's. What a shock to their system when it's their time. Having made all these investments in their properties for all these years, they will have to sell their properties after their death to pay for their care costs. This means in effect that you want be able to leave a legacy for your children, unless your one of the excessive rich. In Essence leaving the next generation virtually homeless or in desperate need of cheap housing.

Some people might argue its scare mongering to say this as no regulations have been made yet or even set as required by the Act. But they will come, regulations are far easier to get through than Acts of parliament.  Even if we get a different government in later, though provisions may be tweaked or weekend they won't repeal it, they'll just say we didn't implement it blame the current party and carry on.

Further proof of this can be seen by looking back over the last few years and seeing the cut backs that have already been implemented. Bedroom tax, ESA, change to PIP and now Universal Credit. Each time the various organisations and charities who support disabled and  venerable  who should be shouting and leading the fight, have either sold out and see it as a way of making money for their top execs, Motability is a case in point, and there will be others. Whilst the service users are the ones ending up losing out.

Each time the government brought in one of the pieces of the above legislation, the Gov consulted but didn't listen. Legislation is passed through parliament, who with their salaries and expense accounts are hardly going to rock the boat. Leaving then the ministers in charge of the various department to bring in regulations. The people at the bottom get squeezed harder and harder. Now there’s nothing left to squeeze at the bottom rung. They have to move up to the next rung to ensure they can continue to live the lifestyles they have and must maintain without sacrifice.

Remember the quote first they came for the Jews, next it was.....well you have been warned.

Is there a solution there always has been! We need to all work together to understand and create a balance. I'm not saying you can't be rich or have a good life style, if you work for it why shouldn’t you? But really every person needs to ask themselves how much money is enough?  Some may argue that as I’ve worked hard for this so I get to keep what I’ve earned. But as nature teaches us that as time passes even the tree that our fruits grow on, the trees needs to let go of the fruit, or the bee that works away so busily, the honey is shared out amongst animals and humans, as it's the natural thing to do. Do we need to be any different? Use what you need and no more. There is plenty to go around we all just need to see the truth. 

The first step must be stop selling social care off. It's happening. If a care agency can run the business and make a profit or Virgin and others business are interested in the industry there is money there to be made. Otherwise why would they be Interested. We need to ensure that our Local Authorities have the right mind sets in place to make sure they can manage the services timely and in a cost efficient way. All profit should be ploughed back in to the service. I believe it can be done for the good of all the people.