A new study has revealed that the cost of care for old age has risen to an average of £50,000, with a fifth of those who need residential care facing bills in excess of £100,000.

The new survey, led by economist Andrew Dilnot, will report in July and is the first of its type for 16 years. It combines the costs of care and accommodation to show the total bill that people face when living in a care home. Using figures based on over 11,000 people who stayed in Bupa care homes between 2008 and 2010, it showed that the average length of stay was 832 days, though one in four had a stay at a home longer than three years.

The average costs for women are higher, at £64,800, due to their higher life expectancy, compared to men who on average face bills of £34,300. People have to pay their care costs themselves unless they have capital amounting to less than £23,250, although those requiring 24-hour nursing care are eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare.

The managing director of Bupa Care Services, Mark Ellerby, said: "We hope these figures will help the Dilnot commission to design a sustainable system for the future."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/mar/21/care-old-age-funding