27 October 2000
The health policy charity said those on average or below-average wages could not afford to contribute to the new Second State Pension and save for their long-term care.
An NOP survey for the fund found that 50-year-olds had little idea about their future income once they had retired and tended to overestimate it. Few knew how care was funded and would find it difficult to pay for their future long-term needs.
King's Fund chief executive Rabbi Julia Neuberger said: 'It is unfortunate that the government's commitment to a tax-funded NHS that is free at the point of use does not extend to long-term care. Ministers have already admitted that today's pensioners and long-term care users are getting a raw deal. They have pledged to provide a more comfortable old age for tomorrow's pensioners. Yet our study suggests that tomorrow's pensioners will be no better off than today's.'
The Department of Health said it was working to help pensioners. A spokesman said the NHS Plan committed the government to introducing free nursing care by October next year, saving 35,000 people £5,000 each a year. In April 2001, the capital assets threshold, above which councils do not contribute to residential care costs, will be raised to £18,000 and all assets will be disregarded for the first three months in care.
But making all care free would cost most of the extra £1.2bn allocated for the care of older people over the next four years.
PFoct2000
