16 July 2012
The Government has announced the biggest overhaul of social care since the creation of the NHS.

The new measures will mean that:

  • Nobody will have to sell their home in their lifetime to pay for social care

  • £200 million will be invested to create specialised housing for the elderly

  • Patients will be given access to personal health budgets to improve choice and entitlements to care

  • More care workers will be trained to ensure all elderly people are treated with the care and dignity they deserve


Although deferred payments for social care are available in some parts of the country, recent figures show that this only applies to 0.9 per cent of those paying for social care in Suffolk. From 2015, everybody will be able defer the costs of their residential care.

Peter Aldous said:

'Because of these changes, nobody in Waveney will be forced to sell their home to pay for social care during their lifetime.

'This is the biggest overhaul of the social care system in more than 60 years and it will make a huge difference to vulnerable patients here in Waveney.'