The findings are being issued as theGovernment's consultation on the future of care and support draws to a close. is calling for a newnational entitlement to care and support that will give people the right to adecent quality of care in later life.

Polling for the charity also showsthat eight in ten people think that unless they demand help for themselves or afamily member? statutory services are turning a blind eye to their needs.

Backing up the survey results arethe voices of more than 700 people of all ages who gave Age Concern detailedand damning verbal evidence about crumbling care and support services.

In 47 listening events held acrossthe country as part of the charity's Big Q campaign people told the charitythat radical reform is needed to improve the quality of care and to make thesystem fairer.  

Participants made it clear that theyexpect the Government's Green Paper? due next year? to go much further thanprevious shake-ups of care and support services. As one listening eventparticipant put it: ?This situation has been going on for years? will it changethis time??

Their views and recommendations havebeen compiled into a report ?Q is for Quality? and submitted to theGovernment's consultation? which comes to an end tomorrow. The report revealsthat people's top complaints are: 

• care is expensive and the system penalises those who save
• the quality of care varies greatly and is often inadequate
• the system is baffling and the right information is not available when its needed
• people are often sent home from hospital without any support in place
• care staff are poorly trained and/or poorly paid and do not treat people with dignity
• state benefits for those needing or providing care are inaccessible

Gordon Lishman? Director General ofAge Concern? said: ?Our Big Q consultation hasdemonstrated just how angry and let down people feel about the current care andsupport system.  It needs straightening out? starting with a new nationalentitlement to services.  This has to be designed around people's needs?not bureaucratic concerns? and this can't be done on the cheap. 

?Looking into the future? societymust decide if we want to make a radical move away from the means-tested systemof today.  Most of the people we've spoken to think this system isgrotesquely unfair and would back the idea of paying more through tax orinsurance so that support is there when it's needed.  Politicians facetough choices but must grasp the nettle to deliver a system that treats with the dignity andrespect they deserve.?

Mavis Haywood*? 71? who contactedAge Concern to share her experience of buying care and support services? said:  ?I'm privately funded becauseI have a bit of savings? but not a lot... and? no? it's not good value? You should get more of a say? but it doesn't work that way: you pay for yourcare but you don't get a say.?

Because of budget shortfalls? themajority of local authorities have restricted support to people who have thehighest needs. This leaves large numbers of people without help when they needit and creates huge uncertainty as to whether these services are reliable.

Howard Richardson*? who participatedin a listening event? said:??one day I receive services? next month? next week? next day? I might lose allof my services because of that criteria changing. My condition hasn't changed'my lifestyle hasn't changed? but for some reason or another I lose servicesbecause of some meeting? nothing to do with my life.?

The on-line version of the ?Q is forQuality? report includes links to videos of politicians and older peopletalking about care and support reform at the charity's listening events. To geta free copy of the campaign report ?Q for Quality?? please visit our website or callour information line on freephone 0800 00 99 66.

The views in the report are supportby the charity and are underpinned by its five building blocks for thefoundation of a new quality care system:

• Respecting people's Dignity
• Enabling people to maintain their Independence
• Ensuring Fairness for all who need care
• Giving Clarity about getting the support you need
• Increasing the amount of Money available to provide quality care