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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Care costs cap delayed until 2020 | Care costs cap delayed until 2020 |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The government says its flagship policy to cap care costs in England will be delayed until 2020. | The government says its flagship policy to cap care costs in England will be delayed until 2020. |
| Costs were to be limited to £72,000 for the over-65s and younger adults with disabilities from April 2016. | Costs were to be limited to £72,000 for the over-65s and younger adults with disabilities from April 2016. |
| The Department of Health said it was still "firmly committed" to the cap, but questions are now being raised whether the policy needs rethinking. | The Department of Health said it was still "firmly committed" to the cap, but questions are now being raised whether the policy needs rethinking. |
| The move came after councils wrote to ministers asking for a delay because of the "enormous pressures" they faced. | The move came after councils wrote to ministers asking for a delay because of the "enormous pressures" they faced. |
| For years councils have been warning the care system - which covers residential care and help at home with tasks such as washing and dressing - has been underfunded. A shortfall of £4.3bn has been predicted by the end of the decade - nearly a third. | For years councils have been warning the care system - which covers residential care and help at home with tasks such as washing and dressing - has been underfunded. A shortfall of £4.3bn has been predicted by the end of the decade - nearly a third. |
| Concerns had also been expressed that the drive for a national living wage would push up costs. | Concerns had also been expressed that the drive for a national living wage would push up costs. |
| BBC Cost of Care project | BBC Cost of Care project |
| The BBC has launched an online guide to the care system for the over-65s. The "care calculator" covers residential care and the support provided in people's own homes, for tasks such as washing and dressing. | The BBC has launched an online guide to the care system for the over-65s. The "care calculator" covers residential care and the support provided in people's own homes, for tasks such as washing and dressing. |
| Users can submit their postcode and find out how much each service costs where they live in the UK. | Users can submit their postcode and find out how much each service costs where they live in the UK. |
| There is also a dedicated BBC Cost of Care website, with news stories, analysis and video. | There is also a dedicated BBC Cost of Care website, with news stories, analysis and video. |
| The letter from the Local Government Association on 1 July said that while councils backed the introduction of the cap, it was not possible to cope with the extra demands the changes would bring at the moment. | The letter from the Local Government Association on 1 July said that while councils backed the introduction of the cap, it was not possible to cope with the extra demands the changes would bring at the moment. |
| It said the current system was "no longer sustainable" and pressing ahead would be "deeply damaging". | It said the current system was "no longer sustainable" and pressing ahead would be "deeply damaging". |
| It had been predicted the changes would add £6bn to public sector spending over the course of five years. | It had been predicted the changes would add £6bn to public sector spending over the course of five years. |
| The move was part of a raft of changes being introduced under the 2014 Care Act and included in the Conservative Party's manifesto. | The move was part of a raft of changes being introduced under the 2014 Care Act and included in the Conservative Party's manifesto. |
| Catastrophic costs | Catastrophic costs |
| As well as capping costs, the changes would have provided a more generous system of state help. | As well as capping costs, the changes would have provided a more generous system of state help. |
| Currently those with assets above £23,250 do not get any help from councils towards their costs. | Currently those with assets above £23,250 do not get any help from councils towards their costs. |
| That was to have risen to £118,000 under the changes. | That was to have risen to £118,000 under the changes. |
| Ministers had claimed the policy would stop people racking up "catastrophic" care costs in old age - one in 10 people who enter the care system end up forking out over £100,000. | Ministers had claimed the policy would stop people racking up "catastrophic" care costs in old age - one in 10 people who enter the care system end up forking out over £100,000. |
| In a written ministerial statement, the government said it was "firmly committed" to the plans, but it was clear following the letter from the LGA that the government needed to "think carefully". | In a written ministerial statement, the government said it was "firmly committed" to the plans, but it was clear following the letter from the LGA that the government needed to "think carefully". |
| "This is not a decision that has been taken lightly. Further announcements will follow in due course." | "This is not a decision that has been taken lightly. Further announcements will follow in due course." |
| But Labour's shadow care minister Liz Kendall said: "This is a shameful broken promise from David Cameron, and devastating news for older people and their families who have been trying to plan for the future." | |
| Councillor Izzi Seccombe, of the LGA, said: "In an ideal world, we would have funding for both the system and the reforms but we have to be realistic about where scarce resources are needed most. | Councillor Izzi Seccombe, of the LGA, said: "In an ideal world, we would have funding for both the system and the reforms but we have to be realistic about where scarce resources are needed most. |
| "Any money from delaying the reforms must be put back into adult social care services and support putting it on a sustainable footing." | "Any money from delaying the reforms must be put back into adult social care services and support putting it on a sustainable footing." |
| Age UK's Caroline Abrahams said the delay was the right decision as introducing the cap now would have been a "distraction" at a time when the care system was in a state of "cataclysmic" decline. | Age UK's Caroline Abrahams said the delay was the right decision as introducing the cap now would have been a "distraction" at a time when the care system was in a state of "cataclysmic" decline. |
| "What matters now is that the government grasps the scale of the galloping crisis and uses the spending review to bring forward effective solutions." | "What matters now is that the government grasps the scale of the galloping crisis and uses the spending review to bring forward effective solutions." |
| She said she hoped the delay would lead to a rethink as the cap had been set too high in the first place. | She said she hoped the delay would lead to a rethink as the cap had been set too high in the first place. |
| Prof Martin Green, chief Executive of Care England, which represents care providers, said it was now time to come up with a "sustainable" solution "once and for all". | Prof Martin Green, chief Executive of Care England, which represents care providers, said it was now time to come up with a "sustainable" solution "once and for all". |
| "If the government refuses to address the issue of funding, we will have a care system in crisis and the NHS unable to cope with the pressure," he added. | "If the government refuses to address the issue of funding, we will have a care system in crisis and the NHS unable to cope with the pressure," he added. |
| Have you or are you facing a care cap? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Have you or are you facing a care cap? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay | Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay |
| Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 | Send an SMS or MMS to 61124 or +44 7624 800 100 |