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There's a lot of worry around the home care system and Southern Cross, can you fill me in?

Well in short, they could go into administration. And as they are the largest provider of care homes for the elderly in Britain, it's a bit of a worry.

How big are we talking?

They have 750 homes which together house more than 30,000 residents. So yes, pretty big.

Something must have gone very wrong.

To say the least! Their financial losses in their most recent half-year results are causing the real concern, or at least adding to it.

How much are we talking?

Hundreds...of £millions. More than £300 million. A mixture of rising rent payments and cuts in social care funding are the main cause.

Well what's going to happen if they do go bust, what about the residents?

In truth it could leave them homeless, or with no choice other than to be uprooted and shipped into somewhere entirely unsuitable.

So I presume the government is going to step in?

Not according to the ministers, though there is talk of them having to, similar to when the credit crunch hit and the banks fell into crisis, but nothing is in place as of yet.

I thought it was up to the councils to help with the care housing.

It is, but they are not responsible for those who pay for their own home care. Besides, we are not talking small scale, and local councils will not have the resources or know-how in the care field to take on such a massive project.

So, looking forward?

Well there certainly needs to be plans in place for problems like this where home care is concerned, especially at credit crunch times. And for future possible crises. No practical strategy seems to be in place for looking after the elderly who are now left vulnerable.

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