Professor calls for more Alzheimer's help

Professor Gareth Jones has become a carer for his wife after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's

In the run up to the election, we're looking at the issues you're telling us matter most to you.

Your Voice, Your Vote is a chance for you to get in touch and let us know what's on your mind in the run up to polling day.

Social care is one of the consistent themes in submissions we’re receiving.

Professor Gareth Jones is a pure mathematics researcher at the University of Southampton who has been in touch.

He is a carer for his wife, who was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and says they have had very little support.

Prof Jones is now worried about the cost of possible future residential care.

He explained: "The support - emotional, financial and in terms of information for people in this situation - seems to be completely chaotic, in particular the financial commitment.

"If someone requires to go into a care home, that’s extremely expensive and it can take up almost all of your savings.

"My wife's mother had this problem almost 30 years ago and we had to sell her house in order to fund a couple of years in a care home, the situation hasn’t improved since then.

"The system just does not work and what I would like the parties to do is address this problem with specific proposals, that can be believed and can be funded."

Prof Jones is calling for a "coherent" financial plan for those needing care.

"I would like much more controlled and consistent information to be available, at the moment it's very much a postcode lottery, one relies on charities largely to give support. I would also like to see much more funding for research," he added.

Social care has been a consistent theme in submissions to Your Vote, Your Voice

How the parties plan to tackle the issue:

• The Conservatives say they are committed to supporting a high-quality and sustainable social care system, building on their additional investment of up to £8.6bn in the last two years. At the next Spending Review, they say they will give local authorities a multi-year funding settlement and implement reforms to cap social care costs from October 2025.

• Labour plan to create a National Care Service, delivering consistency of care across the country and supporting people to live independently for as long as possible. They say they will develop local partnership working between the NHS and social care on hospital discharge and establish a Fair Pay Agreement in adult social care.

• The Liberal Democrats say they will empower care users and support care workers and the millions of unpaid carers looking after loved ones. They say they will forge a new consensus on funding to ensure no one has to sell their home to pay for their personal care. They will also establish a cross-party commission to set up a long term agreement on funding.

• The Green Party say they will push for investment of £20bn to introduce free personal care to ensure dignity in old age and for the disabled. They would increase pay for carers and invest a further £3bn to support children’s social care.

• The manifesto for the Reform party is not out yet. So far they say they would implement an inquiry into the social care system and work towards a national plan for a sustainable system. They would also introduce a zero basic rate income tax for frontline social care staff.

If you’ve got an issue you would like us to explore, contact Your Voice, Your Vote.