Health Secretary confirms Green Paper Brexit delay

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Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that the Social Care Green Paper is being delayed further due to ongoing Brexit negotiations.

Mr Hancock told the Select Committee on Economic Affairs that the Green Paper, which has suffered a series of delays and postponements, had been delayed by “Brexit and the need for bandwidth”.

The Health Secretary said, who said he expected the Green Paper’s publication in “due course”, added: “I wish that the Green Paper had been published by now. We are continuing to work on it in the department, because this is such an important issue. It has been a long-standing policy problem and needs to be tackled.”

Jane Ashcroft CBE, Chief Executive of Anchor Hanover, commented: “It is deeply alarming that the social care green paper has been yet again delayed in the midst of Brexit negotiations.

“After numerous delays by successive governments, this is another blow to the social care sector and our country’s older generations.

“The government’s focus is rightly on Brexit, but this cannot mean other important issues continue to be ignored.

“The number of people ill-prepared for later life is worryingly high – Anchor Hanover’s research shows just 14% of people are currently saving for care, and 25% mistakenly think all care is state-funded.

“With the sector facing an unprecedented amount of pressure and the bill for care set to rise by 159% by 2040*, we desperately need solutions that are fair for all.

“When will the government finally address this crisis to provide clarity and peace of mind for millions of today’s and tomorrow’s older people?”

*“Projections of Demand and Expenditure on Adult Social Care 2015 to 2040” – London School of Economics, June 2018

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