Tynwald Members will examine the future of long‑term care funding next month, following the publication of a new report on nursing, residential and home‑care costs.
The report, laid by Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian MHK, delivers the detailed modelling requested by Tynwald in July 2023 on two potential reform options: a Mixed Model based on Jersey’s system, and Free Personal Care, similar to Scotland.
Both models address key weaknesses in the current system, including the “cliff edge” in support, uncapped self‑funded costs, and incentives that push people into care homes rather than supporting government’s Home First strategy.
However, updated data, including domiciliary care costs 88% higher than UK benchmarks, means neither model improves long‑term financial sustainability for government.
The report outlines a series of cost levers and measures that could reduce expenditure under any model, such as investment in falls prevention, digital innovation and strengthened home‑based care.
A contingency option, “Do Nothing Plus”, has also been scoped, offering modest regulatory improvements without committing to full reform.
In her foreword, Minister Christian says the report “completes the work Tynwald requested” and is intended to support an informed general debate.
The report can be found here.
