Government delays care cost cap until 2020
The proposed £72,000 cap will be four years later than originally announced.
Care costs won’t be capped until 2020, the Government has announced.
Costs were to be limited to £72,000 for the over 65s and younger adults with disabilities from April 2016 following recommendations from the Dilnot Commission.
The Local Government Association requested the delay to meet the shortfalls in the current social care system. The gap between demand and resources is reportedly growing by a minimum of £700 million a year and is forecast to be at least £4.3 billion by 2020.
The changes would also add an estimated £6 billion to public sector spending over the next five years.
The cap was a flagship election pledge in the Conservative party’s election manifesto. Its aim was to prevent older people having to sell their homes to pay for care costs.
Current care system
As it stands, the system covers residential care and care at home with tasks such as washing and dressing.
Those with assets above £23,250 do not get help from their local council at present. This threshold would have risen to £118,000 under the changes, with around 35,000 people benefitting straight away.
One in 10 people who currently enter the care system end up paying more than £100,000.
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