Councils will see a ‘surge’ of enquiries after the introduction of the £72,000 care cap in 2016, according to new research.
The analysis by Partnership found that on average 19% of people currently contact their local council for advice on choosing a care home. However, the research suggests that thousands of people already paying for care will also be in contact with their local council once the cap is introduced (see full chart below).
Chris Horlick, managing director of care at Partnership, said: ‘With just under one in five people typically contacting their council for information on residential care, the introduction of the Care Cap is likely to lead to a significant increase in the number of consumers looking for information.
‘And, not only will local government need to deal with people who are currently seeking assessment but also those who are already in care and wish to find out if they are eligible to start their care account ticking. This will place a significant burden on councils – especially those in the South East and South West – as they struggle to manage the demands of their residents while also cutting their budgets.’
| Region |
No. of self-funders who may contact local government when the Care Cap is introduced |
| West Midlands |
12,910 |
| East Midlands |
11,831 |
| North East |
4,853 |
| North West |
19,006 |
| Yorkshire |
14,588 |
|
East |
20,063 |
|
South East |
20,063 |
| South West |
25,113 |
| London |
10,850 |
