Elderly people should receive at least 30 minutes of social care every day - with dedicated workers paid the living wage, campaigners demanded today.
Citizens UK called on election candidates to sign a key pledge guaranteeing a minimum length of time “home helps” spend washing, cooking and cleaning for old people.
It comes as figures show spending on care for over-65s has plunged by a fifth over the last 10 years.
Research revealed £1,188 per person was paid out in 2003-4, but that plunged to £951 a decade later.
The figures will fuel Citizens’ fight for better care for old people, a call backed by the Mirror’s Respect our Elderly campaign.
Spending on care for over-65s
Citizens UK
Hit squads from Citizens will be sent into 100 marginal constituencies set to decide who wins power on May 7, pressing their case with would-be MPs.
The organisation will also host a major rally due to feature David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg just three days before voters go to the polls.
“Chicken” Tory leader Mr Cameron has refused to commit to live TV debates, but Citizens director Neil Jameson was confident the Prime Minister would show up for the group’s event, saying: “Our expectation is that they will be there.”
Citizens yesterday revealed its 12-page manifesto including demands to boost social care, limit the length of time refugees can be held in detention centres while officials consider their case and sign up 5,000 employers agreeing to pay workers the living wage.
Leaders of the three main parties have been invited to a Citizens rally in central London on May 4 so they can make their case for power to voters in the closing days of the campaign - and listen to pleas from the organisation’s members.
Mr Jameson said: “The leaders will hear our concerns and let us know how they will respond to issues around how we reinstate dignity and hope into some crucial aspects of society, including care for the elderly and their care workers, and ensuring the UK retains its position as a place of sanctuary for the most needy.
“Between now and then we are delivering on our side of the bargain of being active citizens, we’ve pledged to register and check 50,000 voters ranging from first time voters in schools and universities to older people in care homes and minority groups.
“Teams across the country will be meeting with their local MPs and parliamentary candidates to raise our manifesto in swing seats.”
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Citizens’ 2010 event was hailed as the “fourth debate”, following the trio of live TV election contests between the three party leaders.
The group’s campaigners recently celebrated victory over two of the aims they outlined five years ago: tackling payday lenders through an interest rate cap on loans, and ending the detention of children involved in immigration cases.