Sale and Altrincham Advertiser
It is desperately unfair, that those who have worked all their lives to pay off their mortgage, to save for their future or to have something to pass on to their loved ones, face meeting the limitless, often ruinous costs of their care with little or no assistance. While those with assets of less than £23,250 do receive support, those with assets above this level receive none. It sends the wrong message, that you are better off not saving for your future because any savings will disappear in a puff of smoke. It also goes against the fundamental principle that we should support people who work hard and do the right thing. If you’ve saved all your life, you should not be forced to sell the family home if you find yourself requiring expensive care in your old age, while someone who has made no provision will get all their care free of charge . The Government has imposed a cap on care costs at £75,000 (so-called hotel charges’ are extra), which means there is an absolute maximum amount that anyone will be required to pay for care – something which is long overdue. As it is, £75,000 is still an awful lot of money for any family to find. I would have liked the cap to be lower - the Dilnot Commission, which investigated the problem, recommended a cap of up to £50,000.However Jeremy Hunt, the minister responsible for introducing the new package of support, thought that in the present economic climate it would be unaffordable. Given that previously there was no cap at all, this is a significant step in the right direction, and I hope that as the economy improves, a lower cap can be introduced, so that no family in future faces losing everything in order to meet the sky-high costs of long term care.