Free Personal And Nursing Care, Scotland, 2013-14
This Statistics Release presents the latest figures (financial year 2013-14) for expenditure on Free Personal and Nursing Care (FPNC), which was introduced in Scotland in 2002. This release presents information from a variety of sources to give a picture of:
the number of people benefiting from free personal care and free nursing care in Scotland
how much Local Authorities spend on personal care services
3. People receiving Free Personal Care and Free Nursing Care
This section presents the latest available data on the number of people receiving free personal care and nursing care in a care home and people receiving free personal care at home.
3.1 Care Homes
Since 2002, information has been collected on the number of residents aged 65+ supported by local authorities in care homes. These residents may be mainly funded by their local authority or may be a self-funder receiving the appropriate weekly payment towards their care homes fees. All of these residents receive personal care services for free.
Figure 3: Care Home residents (thousands)
Table 1 and Figure 3 (above) show that the average number of long-stay residents aged 65+ in care homes in Scotland has reduced slightly since the introduction of free personal and nursing care. In 2004-05 there were around 32,080 older people in care homes reducing to 30,400 in 2013-14.
In contrast, the number of self-funding Care Home residents who receive the FPC payment has remained more stable in recent years after increases up to 2008-09, before a slight increase in the last year to 10,180 self-funders receiving the FPC payment in 2013-14.
The trend is the same for the proportion of long-stay residents who are self-funders. The proportion increased from 28% in 2004-05 to 33% in 2013-14.
63% of self-funding Care Home residents receive the FNC payment in addition to the FPC payment. The number of self-funders receiving free nursing care has increased from an average of 5,690 in 2004-05 to 6,180 in 2008-09. Again, this figure has remained around the same level until 2012-13, before an increase to 6,430 in 2013-14.
Table 1: Care Home residents, 2004-05 to 2013-14
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |
| No. of long-stay residents (aged 65+) | 32,080 | 32,020 | 31,680 | 31,730 | 31,530 | 31,470 | 31,020 | 30,750 | 30,120 | 30,400 |
| No. of self-funders (aged 65+) receiving FPC | 8,900 | 9,190 | 9,380 | 9,510 | 9,580 | 9,330 | 9,490 | 9,660 | 9,480 | 10,180 |
| No. of self-funders (all ages) receiving FNC | 5,690 | 5,900 | 6,060 | 6,130 | 6,180 | 5,960 | 6,000 | 6,050 | 6,120 | 6,430 |
| Self-funders (aged 65+) receiving FPC as % of all long-stay residents | 28% | 29% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 30% | 31% | 31% | 31% | 33% |
| % self-funders (aged 65+) receiving FPC also receiving FNC | 64% | 64% | 65% | 64% | 65% | 64% | 63% | 63% | 65% | 63% |
Source: Community Care Quarterly Key Monitoring return.
All figures are yearly averages rounded to the nearest 10.
3.2 Home Care
Prior to 1 July 2002, people aged 65 and over could be charged for personal care services provided in their own home. Personal Care services are now free; however, they can still be charged for domestic services such as help with shopping or housework, but any charge would be subject to a financial assessment.
Table 2: Home Care clients, 2004-05 to 2013-14
| 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | |
| Home Care clients (aged 65+) | 57,880 | 57,190 | 56,700 | 55,340 | 54,720 | 53,660 | 51,730 | 51,120 | 50,370 | 50,450 |
| Home Care clients (aged 65+) receiving Personal Care | 36,300 | 40,750 | 40,410 | 42,260 | 44,200 | 46,660 | 46,950 | 47,010 | 47,170 | 47,810 |
| Average weekly hours of Personal Care at home in Scotland | 242,900 | 259,600 | 272,900 | 299,400 | 333,100 | 361,700 | 371,900 | 389,000 | 400,500 | 409,500 |
| % of Home Care clients aged 65+ receiving Personal Care | 63% | 71% | 71% | 76% | 81% | 87% | 91% | 92% | 94% | 95% |
| Average weekly hours of personal care at home per person | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 8.5 | 8.6 |
Source: Community Care Quarterly Key Monitoring Return 2004-05 to 2008-09, Home Care Census 2009-10 to 2011-12, Social Care Survey 2012-13 onwards.
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10
Average weekly hours (based on last week of each quarter) are rounded to the nearest 100.
Figure 4: Home Care clients, 2004-05 to 2013-14
The number of older people receiving Home Care services in Scotland decreased from 57,880 in 2004-05 to 50,450 in 2013-14. In contrast Table 2 / Figure 4 shows for the same period the number of Home Care clients receiving personal care services has increased over the last ten years, from 36,300 clients in 2004-05 to 47,810 in 2013-14, an increase of 32%.
The number of hours of personal care provided in Scotland has increased substantially from a weekly average of 242,900 hours in 2004-05 to 409,500 in 2013-14, a 69% increase. The average hours provided per client each week has increased from 6.7 hours in 2004-05 to 8.6 hours in 2013-14.
Figure 5: Change in proportion of all Home Care clients aged 65+ receiving personal care, 2004-05 to 2013-14
Over the last eight years there has been a shift away from care homes towards more care being provided in peoples' own homes. At the same time there has been an increase in the proportion of clients receiving personal care services. In 2004-05, 63% of all home care clients received personal care services. This has increased to 95% in 2013-14. This increase is linked to the following National indicators:
- Improve support for people with care needs
- Increase the percentage of people aged 65 and over with high levels of care needs who are cared for at home.
Home Care statistics are now published as part of the Social Care Survey. The latest figures, for 2013-14, are available from: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/11/1085
Contact
Email: Steven Gillespie
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