Portsmouth MP backs Government plans for free personal care for older people across England

Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan has welcomed Government plans to introduce free personal care for older people across England, funded through changes to the State Pension Triple Lock from April 2030.

The Labour Government has announced proposals to establish a National Care Service during the next Parliament, which would provide personal care based on people's needs rather than their ability to pay.

The plans could benefit thousands of older people in Portsmouth, Hampshire and Sussex, as well as families across England who currently face significant costs when arranging care for elderly relatives.

Under the proposals, the new service would operate on similar principles to the NHS, with the aim of ensuring older people receive the support they need without having to pay personal care charges.

The announcement follows research suggesting that two-thirds of people in the UK believe they cannot afford care, while nearly seven in ten consider the cost of care unfair.

To fund the proposed National Care Service, the Government intends to change how the State Pension Triple Lock operates from April 2030.

The current system guarantees that pensions increase each year by whichever is highest: inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5%.

Under the proposed changes, the State Pension would continue to rise annually by at least inflation or 2.5%, with an additional adjustment to maintain its value relative to average earnings over time.

The Government says the changes could generate savings of around £15 billion to help fund the new care service.

Labour has also pledged to retain the existing Triple Lock throughout the current Parliament, with the full new State Pension expected to increase by more than £2,000 by the end of the decade.

Stephen Morgan, Labour MP for Portsmouth South, believes the changes could provide greater financial security for older people who currently face the prospect of using their savings to pay for care.

He said: “This Government’s new settlement for older people will not only ensure that social care is available to all those who need it later in life but also protect the financial stability of older people by continuing to increase State Pensions.

“Older people in Portsmouth deserve a better deal. Those who have worked hard throughout their lives should be able to look forward to security and dignity in their later years. Unfortunately, many pensioners in recent years have lost their savings to pay for personal care.

“Politics involves difficult choices. Adjusting the Triple-Lock will help us fund necessary care support for pensioners to ensure that everyone in our city can access the support they need as they age and enjoy greater peace of mind”.

The Government believes improving access to social care could also reduce pressure on hospitals and ambulance services.

Ministers hope that providing better care in people's homes and communities would help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and allow patients who are medically fit to leave hospital sooner.

The Government has asked Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading an independent review of adult social care, to make recommendations on how and when the National Care Service should be introduced.

Her findings will help shape the development of the service and determine how the proposed changes could be delivered.

Department for Work and Pensions projections also suggest the revised pension arrangements could contribute to reducing pensioner poverty from around 14% in 2024/25 to approximately 8% by 2049/50.

However, the National Care Service remains a future proposal rather than an existing entitlement, and details of its introduction, eligibility and the full range of services covered have yet to be finalised.

For older people across Portsmouth and the rest of England, the changes could eventually mean greater access to personal care without the financial burden currently faced by many families.

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