Many pensioners are selling their homes and moving to a smaller house in order to pay for their care fees.

The crumbling care system is being reformed and the price to pay is that thousands of retirees across the UK will have to put their property on the market and downsize to help afford the care costs.

Andrew Dilnot, an economist who is chairing the government’s commission on care funding, warned that the elderly may also be called upon to raid pension funds to meet the extortionate fees of home help or care homes.

Some pensioners are considering downsizing from large family homes into bungalows in fear of the care bills and some 20,000 are being forced to sell up completely every year, especially if they require long-term care. Presently, men and women have to pay the full cost of care until they only have £23,250 in assets left, including property.

Neil Duncan-Jordan, of the National Pensioners Convention, said: “What Dilnot is suggesting is the status quo. If he’s telling people they may have to downsize to pay for care, that’s something that is happening now. People are already selling their homes.

“People are already raiding their savings. Dilnot has spent a year on this and has not come up with anything new. His report is not going to fix the problem – it’s going to perpetuate it.”

Mr Dilnot advised that OAPs needed to accept that part of care costs will need to come from their property and individuals will have to make a contribution, as the state cannot afford to bear the whole amount.

He said: “In the new world there will not be the fear of losing everything, but the opportunity to take control over your life. That means you might need to use some of the wealth out of your house.”

One option is to move to a smaller house that is more suitable for your needs before you start to struggle; so use Robinsons International as your Removals service and help save for those high-rising care fees.

 

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