The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
21.02.09
2 Deputy K.F. Morel of the Minister for Social Security regarding the calculation of
Long-Term Care payments (OQ.27/2021)
Will the Minister explain how the level of long-term care payment covering the cost of care for the elderly is calculated, and whether the methodology used is based on the actual cost of care services currently available in the Island?
Deputy J.A. Martin of St. Helier (The Minister for Social Security):
I thank the Deputy for his question. The long-term care scheme provides benefits for adults of all ages who satisfy the conditions of the scheme. Four levels of payments are provided based on care assessments of the individual. A separate payment is provided in respect of the living costs in a care home. Benefit levels were originally set in July 2014 based on the predecessor's benefits and arrangements that the scheme replaced. This places long-term care benefits at a good, basic level within the overall care market and the funding for the scheme is based on this assumption. Benefit levels are regularly reviewed and were last increased at the start of 2021. I have the 4 levels: level 1 is £394.73, level 2 £602.28, level 3 £870.59 and level 4 £1,094.52.
6.2.1 Deputy K.F. Morel :
I would ask the Minister to answer the last part of my question which is: are these benefit levels set in relation to the cost of care services that are available in the Island today?
Deputy J.A. Martin:
The cost of the care package does cover some care homes, it does not cover all care homes.
Deputy K.F. Morel :
A final supplementary, please, Sir? The Bailiff :
Well, that is not normal, Deputy . We normally have a final supplementary if no one else has asked an intervening supplementary. There has not been an intervening supplementary, so we move on to the next question. But you have a point of order, Deputy Young?
Deputy J.H. Young:
No, sorry, my point of order was in relation to the first oral question because it did occur to me that Members may wish to have the opportunity to consider an answer in camera. We have passed on that now but I do think it is an important question.
The Bailiff :
Thank you for clarifying.