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Care Homes: Finance

Volume 462: debated on Thursday 12 July 2007

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many beds funded by his Department were provided in social services care homes in (a) England and (b) Shropshire in (i) 1997, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2007; (147705)

(2)how much his Department spent (a) in total and (b) per bed provided on social care home facilities in Shropshire in (i) 2005-06 and (ii) 2006-07; and what spending has been forecast for 2007-08.

The Department does not directly fund places in care homes, with the exception of people receiving continuing care, whose care is funded by the national health service. Information on the numbers of people receiving NHS funded continuing care and nursing care in England is only available from 2003 onwards. This is shown in the following tables. Separate figures for Shropshire are not available.

NHS-funded nursing care in England at 31 March

Number

2003

58,751

2004

119,081

2005

125,573

2006

117,939

2007

123,452

Continuing care in England at 31 March

Number

2003

17,019

2004

19,723

2005

20,842

2006

25,008

2007

30,975

Care may be funded in a variety of ways. Depending on their financial circumstances, residents may pay for their own care, or be partly or wholly supported by local council social services, or organisations such as charities or previous employers. Local council social services pay for care using funding allocations they receive from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The following tables show the information for the number of supported residents aged 18 and over funded wholly or in part by local council social services and the gross expenditure for 1997, 2000, and 2005 in England and Shropshire.

Number of adults supported in residential care in England and Shropshire in 1997, 2000, and 2005

Rounded numbers

1997

2000

20052

England

241,900

267,500

266,200

Shropshire1

2,300

2,500

2,300

Of which:

Shropshire (remaining)

1,600

1,600

Telford and the Wrekin

900

700

1 From 2000 onwards, Shropshire council was split into Shropshire and Telford and the Wrekin.

Figures have been provided on a consistent basis for comparison.

2 The 2005 information includes clients formerly in receipt of preserved rights and Boyd loophole residents.

Gross current expenditure spend on residential care for adults in England and Shropshire in 1997-98, 2000-01 and 2005-06

£ thousands

1997-98

2000-01

2005-06

England

4,086,300

5,124,500

7,042,900

Shropshire1

34,700

41,400

52,800

Of which:

Shropshire (remaining)

27,000

36,700

Telford and the Wrekin

14,400

16,200

1 From 2000 onwards, Shropshire council was split into Shropshire and Telford and the Wrekin.

Figures have been provided on a consistent basis for comparison.

The cost per person per week for adults staying in residential care during 2005-06 in Shropshire was £424.

Information for 2006-07 and 2007-08 is not yet available and forecasts are not made.

Information about the numbers of children in care homes is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families.