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| Care for elderly a priority - PM | Care for elderly a priority - PM |
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| Improving the care available for the elderly will be Labour's domestic policy "priority" should it win the next election, Gordon Brown has said. | Improving the care available for the elderly will be Labour's domestic policy "priority" should it win the next election, Gordon Brown has said. |
| As he prepares to unveil a series of care proposals in the Queen's Speech, he told the Daily Mail the current system was not "fit for purpose". | As he prepares to unveil a series of care proposals in the Queen's Speech, he told the Daily Mail the current system was not "fit for purpose". |
| Labour will propose free care at home for 280,000 of the frailest people and help for others to stay in their homes. | Labour will propose free care at home for 280,000 of the frailest people and help for others to stay in their homes. |
| But the Conservatives said the plans were "confused and short on detail". | But the Conservatives said the plans were "confused and short on detail". |
| Homes sold | Homes sold |
| Mr Brown announced plans for a new National Care Service - to provide free help for the most needy in their homes - in his party conference speech in September. | Mr Brown announced plans for a new National Care Service - to provide free help for the most needy in their homes - in his party conference speech in September. |
| Currently anyone with savings of more than £23,500 receives no state assistance and many pensioners have been forced to use up their entire savings and sell their homes to pay for care. | Currently anyone with savings of more than £23,500 receives no state assistance and many pensioners have been forced to use up their entire savings and sell their homes to pay for care. |
| It is not right that people already struggling with the loss of independence are being forced to run down their savings or sell their homes to fund their care Gordon Brown | It is not right that people already struggling with the loss of independence are being forced to run down their savings or sell their homes to fund their care Gordon Brown |
| In an article for the Daily Mail, Mr Brown said that how a country looked after its elderly was a "hallmark of a civilized society". | In an article for the Daily Mail, Mr Brown said that how a country looked after its elderly was a "hallmark of a civilized society". |
| A rapidly ageing population and higher expectations of care meant policymakers were now facing a bigger challenge that ever before. | A rapidly ageing population and higher expectations of care meant policymakers were now facing a bigger challenge that ever before. |
| "We will begin to set out our bold plans for reform because our current system is simply not fit for purpose," he wrote. | "We will begin to set out our bold plans for reform because our current system is simply not fit for purpose," he wrote. |
| "It is not right that people already struggling with the loss of independence, who have worked hard all their lives, saved for their retirement, are being forced to run down their savings or sell their homes to fund their care." | "It is not right that people already struggling with the loss of independence, who have worked hard all their lives, saved for their retirement, are being forced to run down their savings or sell their homes to fund their care." |
| Mr Brown said proposals in the Queen's Speech - which traditionally outlines the government's legislative programme for the year ahead - would "protect those with the greatest needs" from having to pay for their care while enabling them to stay in their own homes. | Mr Brown said proposals in the Queen's Speech - which traditionally outlines the government's legislative programme for the year ahead - would "protect those with the greatest needs" from having to pay for their care while enabling them to stay in their own homes. |
| The government is also pledging to provide six weeks of at home personal support for about 130,000 people who have not previously received assistance, Mr Brown added. | The government is also pledging to provide six weeks of at home personal support for about 130,000 people who have not previously received assistance, Mr Brown added. |
| "This is just a first step," Mr Brown adds. | "This is just a first step," Mr Brown adds. |
| "In the New Year we will publish detailed plans for a new National Care Service and I am clear that this will be the first domestic priority of a new Labour government." | "In the New Year we will publish detailed plans for a new National Care Service and I am clear that this will be the first domestic priority of a new Labour government." |
| The BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson said the issue was one worrying millions of people and was now viewed by all parties as a problem that could no longer be put off. | |
| But he said Labour would be reluctant to disclose the ultimate cost of free care beyond those most at need and, with an election round the corner, it was questionable how many of its policies it would be able to get passed. | |
| Policies 'confused' | Policies 'confused' |
| The Conservatives said the government had already downgraded the number of people who will receive free care under its plans from the 350,000 figure first envisaged. | The Conservatives said the government had already downgraded the number of people who will receive free care under its plans from the 350,000 figure first envisaged. |
| It said ministers were planning to pay for their national care pledge by scrapping disability benefits for more than 2.5 million pensioners while doing nothing for those already in care homes. | It said ministers were planning to pay for their national care pledge by scrapping disability benefits for more than 2.5 million pensioners while doing nothing for those already in care homes. |
| Labour's plans are all about political point-scoring, not the long-term care of older people Andrew Lansley, Shadow health secretary | |
| "While we want to help people stay in their homes for as long as possible, Labour's policies are confused and short on detail," said shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley. | "While we want to help people stay in their homes for as long as possible, Labour's policies are confused and short on detail," said shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley. |
| "Labour's plans are all about political point-scoring, not the long-term care of older people." | "Labour's plans are all about political point-scoring, not the long-term care of older people." |
| The Conservatives have put forward proposals of their own in which anyone paying a voluntary fee of £8,000 upon retirement would get all their residential care costs paid for by the state, a policy which Labour says does not added up. | |
| Support for the elderly is one a range of measures set to be included in the Queen's Speech, with proposals on banking reform, school report cards and flood protection planning also set to feature prominently. | Support for the elderly is one a range of measures set to be included in the Queen's Speech, with proposals on banking reform, school report cards and flood protection planning also set to feature prominently. |
| Opposition parties have cast doubt on how many bills can be passed given that a general election must be held by 3 June at the latest and Parliament will only be sitting for about 80 days before then. | |
| The Liberal Democrats have called for the Queen's Speech to be cancelled and for ministers to focus on a package of reforms to Parliament instead. |