Govt concessions urged to develop LTC market

Government must stop penalising those who have already purchased insurance to fund long-term care (LTC) and make promises on nursing care to support the introduction of other related products, according to National Friendly.

The friendly society has called on fellow mutual societies to ask members their views on the future of LTC and engage with the Dilnot Commission to have these opinions heard.

Writing in the May issue of the Association of Financial Mutuals' newsletter, Neil Thompson, product manager at National Friendly, built on research released by the provider last year and suggested that a fairer system needed to be implemented.

"There is no doubt the government needs support on this," he said.

"It needs to identify the true cost of care over the next 10-15 years, understand how much it can afford to fund and then share the bill fairly with consumers.

"Let's push for a fairer system which caps personal fees; get the government to remove obstacles such as penalised self-provision through insurance and encourage the state to make promises on nursing care if products can be created which support the environment in which care is delivered," he added.

Thompson explained the necessity for this and added that mutual societies could play a significant part in both assisting the research process and developing products.

"A further option is for health insurers and the government to work together to develop effective and transparent products that pay out for care needs and which support those who help themselves," he continued.

"Equally, the government needs to provide assurances that such payments will not be double-counted as part of assets and impact on the amount of care assistance they might receive.

"Mutuals should ask members their thoughts on who should deliver care and where, plus how, in their view, this should be funded? Would they consider delivering care to an older relative, or would they indeed want to be cared for by a family member?

"Working together, mutuals should use these findings to lobby the Dilnot Commission," he added.

And Thompson suggested that mutual societies could help build trust and develop relationships with the public and government without the cynicism attached to banks.

The Dilnot Commission is due to report its findings into the funding of long-term care later in the summer.