The article misses a key point. The NHS, by law, has to pay for those with a 'primary health care need'. This is known as 'Continuing Care' and is not means-tested and applies to old and young alike. I do wish that the myth of 'if you have a home you have to pay' is not perpetuated by the media.

Mark Edgecombe, London,

The article misses a key point. The NHS, by law, has to pay for those with a 'primary health care need'. This is known as 'Continuing Care' and is not means-tested and applies to old and young alike. I do wish that the myth of 'if you have a home you have to pay' is not perpetuated by the media.

Mark Edgecombe, London,

If everybody is required to pay this insurance, it should be called a tax. You can only "insure" yourself against a risk, and so, if you have saved sufficient to pay for your old age care, through a pension or other means, you will not wish to, and should not be required to pay insurance.

Jonathan Bagley, manchester, uk

Perhaps assisted suicide would help the problem. There are many of us who do not wish to subside into a an old age where all dignity is lost. Personally, I shall make my way to Stitzerland post haste when the time arrives.

S Fleming, Wotton-under-edge, UK

I know, we can call it 'National Insurance' and deduct it from our wage packets at source. Unless, of course, that's already been thought of.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

It is intolerable that Brown can deny benefits to the English that are enjoyed by his own constituents in Scotland.

Peter , Okehampton, England

Could Mr Brown explain to those people who had provided for their old age(whilst still paying NICS) by paying into a private pension scheme what he has done with the £5Bn he takes annually ?,answers on a postage stamp!!!

Kenneth O'Boyle, Perth, UK

I think Gordon's had a visit from the from Spin doctors department appease the masses Say what the people want to hear and everything will be fine. Dont think so! Shut the door on the way out.

Neil Worthington, Cheshire, UK

My parents have just been placed in a 'care home' they have sold their house as a result. They have worked all of their lives, dad fought for his country....The goverment is shamless.

Sue, Cardiff,

Strange reporting...nowhere does it mention these proposals are for England only. Does The Times not have readers in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland? As a pan-UK publication, should The Times not explain to its readers in each UK country whether new laws will affect them or not?

Chris, Northampton, England

This is merely a disguise to bring into social &personal means tested care NHS CONTINUING CARE WHICH IS FREE at the point of need. 1948 Health Act. Don't be fooled.

Pauline ~Kell, Stockport, Cheshire

As a retired Anglican priest I can confirm that ne of my biggest worries is how t live in my retirement.I have no faith in this Government t make my situation in theyears ahead lok any brighter.

Rev Dr Martin A. Phillips, Chester, Cheshire

MMM. let me think! How about recovering the £100m of our money spent without asking us tax payers, on tents for the US Pop Idol request for Africa. Or cut MP expenses and redirect the money to helping anyone NOT JUST ELDERLY who require social and personal care help but pay for it via means testing

Ruth Williams, Barrow in Furness, cumbria

Labour made similar promises in 1997 & then declined to accept the majority report of the Royal Commission. The 1999 Coughlan Judgment has been diluted and now it is proposed to completely abandon the promises of the NHS. Bevan must be turning in his grave; Labour will do what Thatcher could not

Ruth Kell, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire

Once again we read comments that offer no solution to gaping problems. This issue will affect everyone of us, sooner or later, as we we will all grow old. I think Gordon Brown has got it right despite the swathes of insults and negative comments from your readers. Refreshing News for the elderly.

Tonye O,, Dalgety Bay, Fife,

This is better. We do need to find more creative ways of providing social care, so people can get what they need without breaking the bank or ending up in court.

Use other countries' models? Why?

Better to work out our own way to protect the weak from inappropriate burdens associated with "risk".

Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley, Bacup, UK

So it has taken 11 years to come up with these pathetic suggestions; from a man who destroyed the best pensions industry in the world; a most successful burglar.
Brown is a 'busted flush' and can no longer be relied upon to tell the truth. The sooner he goes the better.

B.Garvie, Reading, UK

AMAZING that Totaly free healthcare is available in HIS SCOTTISH constituancy , but not where he is PM. HIS scottish friends voters get it -0 the rest of us can pay for it

John Brandler, BRENTWOOD, Essex

ive got a novel idea how about giving carers as in imediate familly a living wage to do the job. as it stands at the momentno one is going to give up their job for the grace and favour under £50 payment for 35 hours a week. lets be honest it should be minimum wage not slave wages .

heather yeoman, east grinstead, england

Gordon will DO anything to reverse the trend.

adam, aberdeen, uk

Gordon now concerned for the elderly, don`t make me laugh. It`s high time he tackled the very real problem of the elderly poor, with the lowest state pension provision and care in Europe.
This government is, and has been, a disaster , for England especially. Yet another tax should be his downfall.

Brian Thompson, Sutton Coldfield, England

Keith, surely you meant to say "people without relatives". If not, your comments are disingenuous to those who work hard to give their children a needed leg-up. Also, you overlook the fact that 'inheritors' face a massive loss from their inheritance through IHT, which goes to help 'other taxpayers'.

Lou, London, UK

I am terrified about getting old as are many people I know. The Government needs to wake up - they appear to have forgotten the "Grey vote" which carries a lot of power. We are far more likely to vote than the the young who live for today and have no interest in politics.

Alan Causer, Fareham.

Alan Causer, Fareham, UK

another way of bailing the corrupt banks and insurance companies out. they have invested badly in ludicrously high risk schemes on behalf of pension contributors and waltzed off with their over inflated salaries and huge bonuses leaving the good old taxpayer to clean up the mess!!!

brown out-now!

dave jones, manchester,

This initiative coming from a man who destroyed our final salary pension schemes appears as altruistic as a starving wolf promoting health care in a sheep's pen.

philip, Ipswich,

If a person living alone needs to go into a Care Home what is wrong with them selling their house to help pay for their care?

Why should other taxpayers help to keep the house for that person's children?

Keith, Exeter,

Why would a Gordon devised insurance scheme perform any better than the Pension funds , that I was relying on - until he plundered them - -or endowment policies --- these 'schemes' for the future never seem to be as great at maturity -

Tom, Manchester, UK

Classic dilemna - do I save for old age and get the same treatment as those that have spent it all on a good time or do I spend and let the State pick the bill up. After all, I have paid my taxes (NI included) for what?

Steve Marchant, Broadhempston, UK

After 10 years, the Government suddenly thinks the system is unfair. Or rather I should say, after 10 years, the Government suddenly realises it needs the middle classes to remain in power.

Robert Laundon, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

So in addition to National Insurance, I now have to take out extra insurance and then I may have to sell my home anyway?

Whereas - those who do nothing, claim the dole all their lives, pay no national insurance, get everything paid for?

What is the advantage to me here? Huh?

Katie Fraser, London,

This will be another tax, levied in addition to the tax we are already paying for the service we are not receiving.

They don't get it - the country has already passed the tipping point of taxation. Any more will bring serious social disorder.

Ubi, Edinburgh, UK

It could be very well accepted if Gordon Brown decided to cancel out much of our International Aid commitment and dedicated the proceeds to the care of the elderly at home.

Robert El-Cid., Kirk Ella., East Yorks.,

The Law requires that the NHS pay all the cost of long term care. This was established by the case of Pam Coughlan nearly 10 years ago. Few people know this. Detailed advice to families, solicitors and others on claiming your right to 100% NHS funding, known as Continueing Care: www.nhscare.info

Robin Lovelock, Sunninghill, UK

I already pay insurance for this.It's called National Insurance. To ask me to pay additionally on top of this is yet another Stealth Tax.

andrew, swindon, uk

Good idea but let us provide our own insurance with incentives otherwise it will go the way of national Insurance Contributions

Pete, Barry, Wales

Labour made similar promises in 1997 & then declined to accept the majority report of the Royal Commission. The 1999 Coughlan Judgment has been diluted and now it is proposed to completely abandon the promises of the NHS. Bevan must be turning in his grave; Labour will do what Thatcher could not.

David Gooch, Los Angeles, United States

The Prime Minister said he wanted to free people from the fear that they would be forced to sell their homes to pay for care.
Of course he does, he wants the 40% inheritance tax!

Mike Jones, Farnborough, Hampshire

Nice one Gordon; that way you can reap in more inheritance tax when people do finally die.

Thank God I moved to New Zealand where there's no Inheritance, Property Capital Gains or Social Security taxes - just one plain old vanilla Income Tax. But then that'd be to simple for the UK.

Jonathan, Auckland, New Zealand

Hm, I thought that I had been paying insurance for the last 40 odd years for exactly that sort of thing...some scheme called National Insurance I believe.

Jean Smith, Ellesmere Port, UK

Insurance for old age is fine, provided always that taxpayers, ie. the state, pays for nobody at all. Let's have a really level playing field. If you cannot be bothered to provide for yourself, why should you rely on others?

Country Bumpkin, Exeter, UK