Elderly care costs set to double in the next 15 years

THE cost of social care for the elderly is set to double in the next 15 years just to maintain current standards, according to a report today by the King's Fund.

New research by the think-tank found that the bill, projected to reach 8.1 billion in 2015, would hit 12.1bn in 2026.

Should the Government introduce universal free social care for the elderly, costs would rise to 16.8bn by 2016. King's Fund called for a "partnership" model, where half of everyone's care was met by the state.