Usually, this newsletter arrives in your inbox once a month. Today I’m making an exception, to let you know about an important national policy which will benefit us locally across Elmbridge – the government’s transformative new plan for social care.
I want to explain directly why it’s important for you and your family, not least given our ageing population in this constituency, coupled with high house prices.
I have met many residents, across Elmbridge, who have long been worried about social care. People worry that they or their families may incur bills that they can’t predict and may not be able to afford. It’s easy to see why. Under the current system, anyone with assets over £23,250 has to pay for their care in full, and one in seven 65-year-olds will have total care costs of over £100,000. People fear they will not be able to bear the costs, or will be forced to sell their home. This can be particularly distressing for partners that care for someone with dementia.
That is why the government has announced a sustainable new plan for social care, which will make a huge difference to Elmbridge residents.
There are two key elements of this plan:
Capping care costs. There will be a new cap, of £86,000, on the amount that any individual will have to contribute to the cost of their care. This means an end to unpredictable or even unlimited costs – protecting people’s homes and reassuring those with long-term conditions such as dementia.
Protecting those without substantial assets. There will also be protection for those without substantial assets to pay for their care. Anyone with less than £20,000 in assets will have all their care costs covered by the state, while those with assets between £20,000 and £100,000 will receive means-tested support – never paying more than £86,000 in total. This cap will also enable insurers to step in with policies to help people meet their costs.
These reforms must be properly funded, so the government will introduce a new Health and Social Care Levy.
This will be charged at 1.25%, based on National Insurance Contributions, and will raise revenue for these reforms as well as funding the NHS backlog of cases (caused by COVID). Importantly, the levy is progressive – the highest-earning 14% of taxpayers will pay around half of the revenue.
This plan is responsible, fair and necessary – grasping the nettle of social care reform once and for all and delivering for Elmbridge residents. It is disappointing to see both Labour and the Lib Dems vote against a policy that will benefit us here in Elmbridge.
