Leading care and dementia charities respond to Queen's Speech

There has been more response to yesterday’s Queen’s Speech and the announcement of the England only, draft care and support bill.

The draft bill would lay out how government would modernise the care and support for older people and disabled people. It would ensure local authorities fitted their services around people’s needs, simplify laws around social care and improve how people access the information and support they are entitled to.

Jane Ashcroft, chief executive officer of the registered charity, Anchor that runs 99 UK care homes an extensive range of housing and support services said: "Anchor research found one in four are unaware that care is means-tested yet the current broken system means many people face an almost limitless drain on their savings."

"A failure to reform the system now would be nothing less than a betrayal of the public. The older people of today and tomorrow deserve better than the current shambolic funding system and we call on Mr Cameron to act."

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society has also commented: “The draft bill suggests real progress can be made. But we still have no definitive timeframe for when the millions of people being put at risk by the current crumbling system will get the fair deal they desperately need. Consultation is important but it can’t become a delay tactic. Action is needed now to support the most vulnerable in society.

“Underfunding of social crisis must be at the heart of reform yet this still isn’t being addressed. Millions of people – including people with dementia – are being stripped of their savings. We are also in danger of bankrupting the NHS as more people reach crisis point. There is no time to wait.”