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General election: Theresa May changes social care plans General election: Theresa May changes social care plans
(35 minutes later)
Theresa May has said proposed changes to social care funding will include an option for an "absolute limit" on the money people will have to pay. Theresa May has said proposed changes to social care funding in England will now include an "absolute limit" on the money people will have to pay.
The Conservatives ruled out a cap on total costs in last week's manifesto, instead saying no-one would see their assets fall below £100,000.The Conservatives ruled out a cap on total costs in last week's manifesto, instead saying no-one would see their assets fall below £100,000.
The PM said the plan was "sensible" and would stop the system from collapse. The PM defended the "sensible" plan, saying the system risked collapsing.
But she said she wanted to address "shameful" fears that people would be forced to sell their family home.But she said she wanted to address "shameful" fears that people would be forced to sell their family home.
She told activists in Wales that the Conservatives were "determined the fix the system" and the consultation on the plans, if the party wins the election, would consider a cap among the options. She told activists in Wales that the Conservatives were "determined to fix the system" and put a sustainable long-term solution in place which deals with the strains on the social care system from an ageing society.
"We will make sure nobody has to sell their family home to pay for care," she said. She insisted that no-one would have to sell their home to pay for care while they were alive and people would still have "something to pass on to" their family after their death.
"We will make sure there's an absolute limit on what people need to pay. And you will never have to go below £100,000 of your savings, so you will always have something to pass on to your family" "We will make sure there's an absolute limit on what people need to pay. And you will never have to go below £100,000 of your savings."
Mrs May said she had not "changed the basic principles" set out in the manifesto, saying the plans would still give people "peace of mind" about the care available, but was now clarifying the details. The prime minister denied that it was a U-turn, insisting that "nothing had changed" and "the basic principles" set out in the manifesto remained in place.
But Former Chancellor George Osborne, now editor of the Evening Standard, said it was a U-turn. Asked what level the cap would be set at, she said that would be a matter for the consultation. And she hit out at what she said was "fake" portrayals of the policy by Labour and other critics - who have labelled the move a "dementia tax".
Analysis
By Health Correspondent Nick Triggle
This represents a complete U-turn. The cap was ditched last week with the Tories briefing they wanted to set a "floor" not a cap - hence guaranteeing everyone in England will be able to keep £100,000.
The view was that with the ageing population it would be too expensive to pick up the bill for those with high care costs. But after a weekend of damaging headlines, there has clearly been a re-think and now the prospect of a cap is being bolted on to the manifesto commitments.
Merging together two policies may prove difficult though. What was put forward in terms of including the value of the home when working out the cost of all types of care was not in the original proposals for a cap that were part of the 2015 election promises.
And where will the money come from? The cost of the original cap was estimated at £6bn over five years.
The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith, who was earlier told by Tory sources that there would be no "rowing back", said the prime minister was now "completely refashioning the policy" and had effectively "ripped" up a four-day-old manifesto commitment.
Are you or your relatives affected by social care? What difference would the proposed cap make to you? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
Former Chancellor George Osborne, now editor of the Evening Standard, tweeted that the move was a U-turn.
Currently, people living in residential care can ask their local authority to pay their bill and recover the money from the sale of their family home after they die.Currently, people living in residential care can ask their local authority to pay their bill and recover the money from the sale of their family home after they die.
The Conservatives' plan would extend this right to those receiving care in their own homes, who would have to pay until they were down to their last £100,000.The Conservatives' plan would extend this right to those receiving care in their own homes, who would have to pay until they were down to their last £100,000.
Under the Conservative plans nobody with assets of less than £100,000 would have to pay for social care. Currently anyone with assets of over £23,250 is expected to pay the full cost of their residential care and the value of their home can be taken into account.Under the Conservative plans nobody with assets of less than £100,000 would have to pay for social care. Currently anyone with assets of over £23,250 is expected to pay the full cost of their residential care and the value of their home can be taken into account.
But that is not the case if you receive care in your own home. Under the Tory plans the value of your home may in future be factored in, although the money would not be taken from your estate until after your death.But that is not the case if you receive care in your own home. Under the Tory plans the value of your home may in future be factored in, although the money would not be taken from your estate until after your death.
This means some people fear they will not be able to pass their homes down to their children.This means some people fear they will not be able to pass their homes down to their children.
The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said Conservative sources had earlier been dismissing the prospect of any rethink over the plans, insisting there would be "no rowing back". An independent report in 2013 called for a cap on total care costs of £72,000 - a proposal originally backed by the Tories before the 2015 election but subsequently deferred until 2020.
He said he had been told that while there would be a consultation, this had always been planned and it would only examine "the finer detail" of the policy. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had accused the Conservatives of "forcing those who need social care to pay for it with their homes", labelling the policy a "dementia tax".
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had accused the Conservatives of "forcing those who need social care to pay for it with their homes," labelling the policy a "dementia tax".
The Lib Dems, meanwhile, had said nine out of 10 homes would be eligible to be sold under the new regime, citing Land Registry house sale figures.The Lib Dems, meanwhile, had said nine out of 10 homes would be eligible to be sold under the new regime, citing Land Registry house sale figures.
Calling for a "national movement" against the policy, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said it was a "callous blow for people who have dementia and other long-term conditions, like multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease, and of course their families. Former leader Nick Clegg said Theresa May had suffered a "manifesto meltdown" and the changes raised questions about her leadership. He told the BBC that she had still not provided certainty to families about how much they would have to pay for domiciliary case.
"It is not just a massive mistake but a cruel attack on vulnerable people the length and breadth of this country."
The Conservatives had attempted to fight back online, with a paid-for ad on Google which pop up when users of the search engine type in the words "dementia tax".The Conservatives had attempted to fight back online, with a paid-for ad on Google which pop up when users of the search engine type in the words "dementia tax".
The ad reads "The so-called 'dementia tax' - Get the real facts - conservatives.com, together with a link to an explainer about the party's social care policies on its website.The ad reads "The so-called 'dementia tax' - Get the real facts - conservatives.com, together with a link to an explainer about the party's social care policies on its website.
Are you or your relatives affected by social care? What difference would the proposed cap make to you? Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
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