Dignity not peanuts for those in care homes - Burstow

12.46.00pm GMT Mon 9th Mar 2009

Paul Burstow, MP for Sutton and Cheam, protested outside the Department of Health today to demand that the Government double the money allocated for an individual's personal expenses in a care home from a mere £21.15 a week to a minimum of £40.

Mr Burstow, who is a champion of older people's rights, was joined by actress and campaigner Sylvia Syms to support Age Concern's 'Dignity not PEAnuts' protest. The campaign is drawing attention to the current rules which designate only £21.15 per week to a person in a care home for all their needs above what their home provides, such as toiletries, travel, hairdressing or clothes.

On Wednesday 11th March Mr Burstow will present a petition in parliament calling for government action. He will follow this up on the 24th March by introducing a bill to Parliament demanding that this amount, known as the Personal Expense Allowance, be increased. He will also call on the Government to conduct research into how much money pensioners in care require to be able to live their lives with dignity; which an independent Parliamentary committee recommended they should do over 3 years ago.

Commenting after the protest Mr Burstow said:

'To suggest that anyone should live on 75p a day for everything they need beyond their bed and board is, frankly, an insult. Leaving the Personal Expenses Allowance at £21.15 makes the Government's claims about a 'Dignity in Care' agenda total hypocrisy.

'Here in Sutton our seniors play a crucial role at work, as volunteers, as carers and in public life and I want their value to be recognised and appreciated by this Government, who seem only to be marginalising and impoverishing them.'