Peers have called for free personal care to be available to all by 2025/26 but believe it should be paid for by higher taxes including retirees paying national insurance contributions.

However, this still fails to address the critical staff shortage that funding alone will not resolve. Live in care is an affordable option that neither the Lords of government have yet seen clear to utilize in order to enable more people to stay in their own homes at an affordable cost to the state.

The Committee’s report, published today, also recommended the government not focus on a green paper for social care and publish a white paper immediately.

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, chairman of the Economic Affairs Committee, said: “Fixing underfunding is not difficult. The Government needs to spend £8 billion now to return quality and access in the system to an acceptable standard.

“Fixing unfairness is more complicated but the Government has ducked the question for too long. They need to publish a white paper, not a green paper, with clear proposals for change now.

“We think that change should include the introduction of free personal care, ensuring those with critical needs can receive help with essential daily activities like washing, dressing and cooking.”

Lord Drumlean also noted the unfairness of someone with dementia paying hundreds of thousands of pounds for care, while someone with cancer gets care for free.