SPENDING on free personal and nursing care for the elderly increased at a slower rate last year, but the bill is still rising by more than the rate of inflation each year and the total cost is now just under £500 million.

Statistics released yesterday by the Scottish Government show that the amount spent by local authorities on providing personal care services to older people in their own home has risen from £158 million in 2004-05 to £364 million in 2013-14.

In addition, Scotland’s 32 local authorities made payments totalling £130 million to self-funding care home residents, a bill that has also increased each year from 2004-05 when the total was £93 million.

Free personal and nursing care was introduced in Scotland in July 2002.

Prior to that date, people could be charged for personal care services provided in their own home and some residents in care homes had to fully fund their own care.

Now the latest statistics show that around 78,000 people in Scotland are benefitting from free personal care, of whom more than 30,000 people are in care homes with nearly 48,000 people living in their own home.

More than 10,000 self-funding care-home residents receive weekly payments for free personal care for the over 65s, or free nursing care for people of all ages.

Spending on free personal and nursing care for self-funding care home residents rose by an estimated 10 per cent in the last year, but spending on those being cared for in their own home rose by just four per cent in 2013-14.

According to the Scottish Government, the overall increase in expenditure over time reflects the fact that an increasing proportion of older people are cared for at home, rather than in hospital or care homes, and that people living at home have increasing levels of need.

There has also been a change in the types of care being delivered, as increasingly home-care workers are providing personal care services rather than domestic services.

The independent statisticians’ report states: “This large increase in people receiving services in their own homes reflects an increasing older population and a move away from long-term care in hospital and care homes, towards providing care in a person’s own home for as long as possible.

“People receiving personal care services at home received on average 6.7 hours of care each week in 2004-05. This has risen steadily to 8.6 hours of care per week in 2013-14, showing that people receiving care at home have increasing levels of need.

“In 2013-14, 95 per cent of all older people receiving home care services also received personal care as part of their care package. This compares with 63 per cent in 2004-05.”

The policy of free personal and nursing care for the elderly was introduced in 2002 by the then Scottish Executive under First Minister Jack McConnell.

The policy, a first in the UK, was recommended in a report by Sir Stewart Sutherland in March, 1999, but the Scottish Executive refused to adopt the entire proposals.

In January 2001, the Executive performed a U-turn minutes before it looked like losing a crucial parliamentary vote that would probably have led to the fall of the then Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition.

The policy has maintained broad support in the Scottish Parliament and has been seen as a flagship policy of devolution. The rise in costs, however, continues to be a political football.

Last night the Scottish Conservative health spokesman, Jackson Carlaw, said: “These statistics paint a worrying picture for our elderly population, families and carers. Scotland has an ageing population and we predicted last year that the cost would rise.

“Only with a strong economy can funding be secured to ensure dignified care for our elderly and the reckless SNP plan to borrow a further £180 billion will put all that at risk.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “We remain fully committed to providing free personal care for older people, and these figures show that an increasing number of older people are benefitting from this policy.”