Elderly must find £93m a year

ELDERLY people in Greater Manchester forked out almost £93 million on nursing homes and home help in one year. Under government guidelines, anyone who has assets of more than £22,500 receives no state assistance for nursing home care. However, in Scotland, the government meets the costs for everyone. The high cost of care has provoked anger from politicians who say those who have worked and saved all their lives are being unfairly penalised. Liberal Democrat councillor Elwyn Watkins said this is unfair on those who have `scrimped and saved' all their lives - and he believes the system is `totally wrong' and `sends out the wrong message'. He said: "Basically, these figures show that if you work and save you get penalised; where if you don't, you don't. "Sadly, we have a system which charges the most vulnerable in our society... [read full story]