Social care plan daylight robbery
Social care plan daylight robbery

Louise Haigh has hit out at planned changes to social care which she says, “will hit the poorest, hardest.”

Under the plan, residents in £1m homes in the Prime Minister’s wealthy Uxbridge constituency will pay the same towards their care as those in Sheffield Heeley, where the average house price is £167,750.

The changes, snuck out last week, means the contribution local authorities make towards a person’s care will not be counted towards the £86,000 cap.

New analysis by Labour shows families in Sheffield Heeley, risk being forced to sell their homes to pay for the catastrophic costs of care, whereas those in £1m homes will have more than 90% of their assets protected.

In the Conservative Party Manifesto, Boris Johnson promised that “no-one needing care should be forced to sell their homes to pay for it”.

The plans were voted through the Commons yesterday, despite a major rebellion from Conservative backbenchers.

Andrew Dilnot, economist and author of the report that informed the government’s plans, said he was “very disappointed” by the changes that “finds savings exclusively from the less well off.”

Boris Johnson promised people they wouldn’t have to sell their homes to pay for care. This was just another broken promise, and its people in our community who will pay the price.

How can it be right that those in £1m homes get 90% of their assets protected, while here in Sheffield residents stand to lose everything.

This is daylight robbery and will hit the poorest, hardest.

I urge local Conservative MPs to do the right thing when this shameful plan returns to the Commons, vote with Labour, and force the Prime Minister to come back with a fairer plan that protects people here.

The average house price in Sheffield Heeley – £167,750

Under proposals released by the Government on 17 November, contributions to the cost of care made by local authorities for people with assets below £100k will not be counted towards the new £86k cap on the cost of care.

An average homeowner in Sheffield would see 51% of the cost of their home swallowed up before they hit the cap, leaving many with little choice but to sell their homes. The cap doesn’t include living costs such as food, energy bills or accommodation.

Anyone with assets below £186k that hits the cap due to high care needs will end up paying more, whilst anyone with assets above £186k will be unaffected.

Median house prices

Andrew Dilnot, author of the 2011 report that informed the Government’s plans, said he was “very disappointed” by the plans.

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