Ministers have this week signalled their intention to link care payments for the elderly to inflation, alongside a nine-month review of the policy.

Pledges made by government ministers are set to come into force next spring, CareandHealth reports, while Lord Southerland of Houndwood has been tasked with reviewing the mechanics of free long-term care for older people.

A previous report by the lord prompted an examination of free personal care for the elderly, although payments have remained constant at £145 a week since their introduction in 2002.

Lindsay Scott, spokesman for Help the Aged, told the Scotsman: "This is long overdue because payments have not risen since free personal care came in 2002.

"We're all for a review. This has the potential to be a really good policy and as it stands it has not been working to nearly its full potential."

Meanwhile, Scottish National Party health secretary Nicola Sturgeon last week highlighted the estimated £23 million shortfall in attendance allowance contributions lost to Scottish consumers when free personal care was established in 2002.