Scottish Government

2. Main points

Care Homes

• The number of self-funders in Care Homes receiving free personal care has increased from 8,350 in 2003-04 to 9,580 in 2008-09, an increase of 15%.
• The number of self-funders receiving free nursing care has also increased from 5,270 in 2003-04 to 6,180 in 2008-09, an increase of 17%.
• The number of long-stay residents aged 65 and over in care homes has fallen slightly since free personal care was introduced. At the same time the number of self-funding residents claiming free personal care has increased. In 2003-04, 26% of long-stay residents were self-funders. This has increased to 31% in 2008-09.

Home Care

• The number of people in receipt of free personal care at home has increased from 32,870 in 2003-04 to 44,660 in 2008-09, an increase of 36%.
• The proportion of older home care clients requiring personal care services has also increased. In 2003-04, 57% of clients received personal care services. This has increased to 82% in 2008-09.

Expenditure

• Between 2006-07 and 2007-08, Local Authority total expenditure on free personal and nursing care for self-funding residents in care homes increased from £97 million to £101 million, an increase of 4%.
• Total expenditure on free personal and nursing care for self-funding residents in care homes was £83 million in 2003-04 rising to £101 million in 2007-08, an increase of 22%. This is new expenditure arising as a result of the FPC policy.
• Between 2006-07 and 2007-08, Local Authority expenditure on personal care for home care clients increased from £224 million to £257 million, an increase of 14.6%.
• Expenditure on personal care for home care clients was £129 million in 2003-04 rising to £257 million in 2007-08, an increase of 100%.
• Expenditure on home care clients is not all new expenditure attributable to the free personal care policy. It is estimated that local authorities were spending at least £64.5 million on personal care services in 2001-02.
• Reasons for the large increase in expenditure on personal care at home include a shift in the balance of care towards larger packages of care at home, the introduction of equal pay provision in local authorities leading to higher wage costs and the reimbursement of charges for meal preparation.