A MAN is calling on the Prime Minister to fund long-term care for the sick and elderly.

Stephen Johnson, of Strawberry Lane in Acton Bridge, is fighting for the authorities to pay for his brother Rod's care.

Stephen said: "Tony Blair said at the Labour Party Conference in 1997 that he didn't want his children brought up in a country where pensioners had to sell their homes to pay for long term care.

"Since then approx 700,000 homes have been sold to pay for care.

"This applies to sick people of all ages. These people have paid taxes and national insurance all their lives, and then suddenly they get taxed again when they become ill by funding their own long-term care. It's a disgrace."

Rod, 53, had a massive stroke in 2005 and was treated in Warrington General Hospital before moving to Northwich.

He is now funding his own care at Redwalls Nursing Home because the authorities refuse to pay.

Under the current system, the NHS will meet all costs of long-term care if it is deemed to be for medical reasons, but if it is considered social care the costs are means tested with the patient expected to pay for some or all of their care costs.

Stephen has now started a petition on the Government's number 10 website and - in just six days - more than 200 people have signed up.

One of those is Pam Coughlan, who won a landmark case in the Court of Appeal in 1999.