‘One million homes’ sold for care costs

Families are selling their homes in order to meet residential care costs, according to a poll by insurer NFU Mutual. The survey, conducted by ICM, found that up to a million families had been forced to sell their homes to raise funds over the past five years. Furthermore, up to three quarters of people who go into residential care will have to eventually sell their homes to pay for it, the researchers claimed. The study challenges goverment estimates showing around 40,000 people a year (or 200,000 in five years). However these figures do not show the number of people who sell their homes prior to going into a care home. Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt, told The Daily Telegraph that the figures were concerning and served to underline the need for government care reforms.