New Care Rules Benefit Thousands

Last week  the Government, under pressure from Age Concern and MPs & peers from all parties (as well as independent parliamentarians) announced a welcome relaxation of the hospital downrating rules. However it is not until October 2003 ? when the state pension credit is to be introduced ? that people will keep their full rate of pension and other benefit if they go into hospital for 13 weeks.

The Government stuck to its position on 'double provision' for people receiving 'free treatment' in an NHS hospital, but Pensions Minister Ian McCartney MP acknowledged the 'ongoing fixed commitments' that pensioners have, 'such as housing costs and utility bills'. Responding to amendments supported by Age Concern, the Minister Baroness Hollis accepted for the first time that 'the way in which people deal with their bills and financial responsibilities has changed from the days of the weekly ration book.'

The vast majority of people affected by the downrating rules are pensioners. Age Concern will be continuing to press for change for the remaining 6,000 pensioners who will continue to suffer cuts to their income at 13 weeks, as well as the 11,000 who will continue to suffer deductions at 52 weeks.

Director General of Age Concern England, Gordon Lishman, said:

"Age Concern welcomes this important change to the hospital downrating rule. This is the first time the Government has accepted that people's situations have changed since this rule was introduced in the days of the weekly ration book."

"Age Concern has been campaigning on this issue for some time and this is a significant step forward. It will relieve some of the financial pressures on an estimated 20,000 people when they are in hospital."

"However, we are concerned that this change will not solve the problem. This unjust rule will still penalise around 6,000 older people at any one time. In addition, older people will have to bear the effects of this unfair rule for another 18 months ? until the changes are implemented in 2003."

"So many older people who have paid a lifetime of contributions will continue to find themselves in financial difficulty when they are at their most vulnerable. We are glad that the Government has accepted our concerns but Age Concern would like ministers to abolish this unfair and outdated rule altogether."