Long-term care, Dilnot and the adviser's role. Paul Robertson discusses all this with Partnership's Chris Horlick.
Horlick does, however, see room for improvement, especially through the Law Commission reforms.
“The Law Commission suggests that local authorities should have an explicit duty to inform, assist and advise all citizens, not just those who the state is funding.
“That is a really critical point because it means that self-funders – the people who were our customers and who are typically seeking advice from potentially IFAs – it will at last have a chance of being signposted to the right place"
That comment begs the question: What is the councils’ attitude to the private finance sector? In the past, councils have looked unfavourably on anyone making money in this sector. Horlick sees this changing.
“We published, with the help of the Local Government Information Unit, a report on self-funders who fall back on the state. That indicated it costs the state up to £1bn a year.
“Frankly, that would be better spent looking after our older population. These people ran out of money because they didn’t get good information and advice, including financial advice, at the outset of their care journey.
“We hear a lot about people having to sell their homes to fund their care. With the state of the economy the way it is, that’s not going to change. People are going to have to still fund their own care.
Biography: Chris Horlick
Chris Horlick is managing director of Partnership’s care division. A former officer in the Royal Marines, he started his career in financial services at Barclays’ corporate finance division.
From 2000, he led AXA PPP’s healthcare sales and marketing department, before moving to become managing director of Denplan and then to Partnership. He is also a commissioner on the City of Westminster Council’s social care commission.
Led by Baroness Greengross, the commission reported this spring and was tasked with advising the council on the best way to deliver excellent social care services in the context of an ageing population, reducing resources and rising public expectations.
