Kent couple in their 90s say they 'have no choice' to sell home to pay for care

Roy and Shirley Sharp told ITV News Meridian's John Ryall that the sale of their Sevenoaks home will pay for about two and a half years of care.

Roy and Shirley Sharp from Sevenoaks in Kent, both in their 90s, are selling their home so they can get the care they need.

It costs them £3000 a week and the people running the care home say they have no choice but to raise the fees again to make ends meet.

Government after government has been accused of dodging the issue of tackling the deepening social care crisis.

The Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said this government would fix it, "We need to grasp the nettle of the big, longterm reforms to social care that's needed."

"We are launching an independent commission with Louise Casey, one of the best known reformers in Whitehall, and we're going to work cross-party because isn't a shortage of good ideas but there is a shortage of good politics."

"I've been encouraged by the willingness of the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and Reform to work together with the Labour Government to do something truly historic for our country, that will benefit future generations."

But Roy and Shirley Sharp, who are having to sell their home to meet the costs of their £3000 a week care, are not impressed.

"You grasp the nettle firmly and make a decision quickly, not in three, four or five years time," said Mr Sharp.

They believe the solution is a major new tax to raise the billions of pounds needed.

"As soon as our bungalow is sold, which is hopefully three months, then the money from that will start paying for us here until that runs out and that will probably run out in about two-and-a-half-years."

Care home owner, Ernie Norman, said today's announcement was a missed opportunity to deliver urgently needed radical change.

"I would love to see an announcement that recognises the severe pressure that social care is under and a recognition of that additional investment in our sector needs, targeted where it's most needed," said Mr Norman.

"And that is to transition people out of hospital, supported where they can in their own home, in a way that gives them the maximum choice possible."

The National Care Association welcomes the social care commission announced today, and the cross-party approach, but says 2028 - probably close to the next general election - is way too long to wait for reform.

"We know that social care needs something right now so 2028 seems a long, long, time for us to wait before they make a decision about what might be needed when we already know that investment is one of the key things that's needed," said Nadra Ahmed from the National Care Association.

In the run up to the election, Labour talked of creating a National Care Service to mirror the NHS. It looks like another general election may come first.

Meanwhile, the social care meter is running at £150,000 a year for Roy and Shirley Sharp and millions like them.

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