Alzheimer's Society comment on 'Charging into Poverty?'

There are 700,000 people living with dementia in the UK and this will rise to over a million people in less than 20 years. What sort of society do we live in where people are forced to make huge sacrifices to pay for essential care?

Dementia is not a natural part of getting older; it is caused by diseases of the brain and robs people of their lives. People who need help with washing, eating and dressing should not have to choose between buying groceries or vital care.

Quality of care must also improve alongside funding. People may be willing to make a contribution, but not for poor quality care which continually lets them down.

Neil Hunt
Chief Executive
Alzheimer's Society

Further information

Alzheimer's Society will hold national protests around the country on Friday, 20 June 2008 to highlight the way people with dementia are being hit hardest, paying huge prices for low quality care. For further information please call 020 7423 3595 or look at our campaign information on the website.

Rising costs of care and tightening of access to care services by local councils means many people are not eligible for basic support including help with tasks such as washing, dressing and eating. People either have to pay privately for help or go without.

Carers contribute £6bn of the £17bn dementia cost the UK a year in unpaid help.

Further information on Charging into poverty

Copies of 'Charging into poverty?' are available from: http://www.ncil.org.uk/

The survey found that:

• 80% of people surveyed who no longer use care services say the charges contributed to their decision to stop their support. 
• A fifth (22%) of people surveyed who are currently using support suggested they would stop if charges increased further.
• 29% of respondents do not feel their essential expenditure (related to impairment/health condition) is taken into account in financial assessments to pay charges.
• Nearly three quarters (72%) of people surveyed believe the government should think about the charges people pay for support at home in adult care reform plans.

Background on Coalition on Charging

The 18 Coalition on Charging members backing the report are (in alphabetical order): Action for Blind People, Age Concern, AIE, Alzheimer's Society, Arthritis Care, Carers UK, Counsel and Care, Disability Alliance, Help the Aged, Mencap, Mind, MS Society, NCIL, People First, Radar, Scope, Spinal Injuries Association, and UKDPC.

The coalition is calling on the government to conduct a thorough review to fully understand the damage that rising care charges are having on people's lives and ensure the care reform green paper delivers a framework which ends the choice of food or care

For further information please contact Press Office, 020 7423 3595.