Govt to insist on care cover

A green paper out today will suggest people take out long-term care insurance, the BBC reports.

A range of payment options will include:

• deducting a single payment from the patient's estate after their death
• making several payments in advance during their working life
• a co-payment system, where the state pays for the first chunk of care, then the rest is means tested
• a social care tax, working in the same way as national insurance.

At present, there are four people earning for each one who is retired, but in 40 years that ratio be just two to one.