Deloitte has published an analysis, undertaken for the Resolution Foundation, of England’s long term care markets.

'Mapping care of older people' makes the case for defining long-term care in England as a ‘mixed market’ (made up of a combination of public and private funding and supply) and not solely a public service.

'Mapping care of older people' is the first holistic overview of the long-term care market. It provides an objective appraisal of long-term care market functionality and assesses the efficiency and fairness of key areas of supply and demand. This new conceptualisation could enable the development of these markets, through appropriate strategies, to improve outcomes for older people.

Some selected analysis from 'Mapping care of older people':

• Informal care accounts for 65% of the market – it is therefore vital to prevent market collapse. Informal care exists because formal supply does not meet demand and because some people prefer to use it as method of accessing the care they need. In a well-functioning market, informal care would always be a matter of personal choice, not necessity, as everyone would have access to affordable formal services.
• Availability of information and access to advisory services is poor. Even if information was fully available, the complexity and local variability of care markets would still represent a barrier to effective navigation. These factors constrain demand for, and access to, services and benefits.
• Two funding streams, two eligibility regimes, and two benefits systems can cause widespread inefficiency, unfairness and confusion.
• Long-term care is not one but many markets where supply, demand, and access is grouped around a community. Individuals in different parts of the country are treated differently according to intermediary processes (like eligibility criteria) and geographic differences (such as property prices). Local authority price-capping and its role as a dominant purchaser can constrain supplier profitability and consumer choice. It also means that suppliers are not able to respond effectively to demand and economies of scale are limited.

Download the full report, Mapping care of older people (829kb, PDF)