Following our last post on Social Care reform, the Government has made a U-turn on the topic, with The Independent and the Guardian reporting that the Dilnot Commission recommendations will be implemented.
The Dilnot Commission proposed that:
– An individual’s personal contribution to their own social care should be capped at £35,000
– This should only apply to individuals with assets over £100,000
– Individuals in residential care homes should make a contribution of £7,000 – £10,000 a year
– Eligibility criteria for local services should be set nationally and be portable between different local authorities
The implications of this are that an individual should never have to spend more than £35,000 on social care and that individuals with assets of £100,000 should never spend more than 35% of this total sum.
Providing a cap allows individuals to budget for their future social care needs and, if they choose, take out insurance to cover these costs.
Whilst the exact details of the change in Government policy are yet to be confirmed, early reports are optimistic. It’s safe to say that we will be watching these developments closely and hope you are too.