£72,000 cap on social care costs in England

Commenting on UK Government plans to cap social care costs in England at £72,000 from 2016, Age Cymru's Head of Policy and Public Affairs Graeme Francis says:

"Age Cymru welcomes the principles of the changes proposed in England. A cap on social care costs will help protect people against potentially unlimited care costs.

"However because the UK Government proposes setting the level of the cap at a high level - £72,000 - it will benefit relatively few people, with people likely to need four years of care services before being affected.

"Arguably the increase in the level of the means test - from £23,250 to £123,000, will benefit far more people by providing them with at least some help with the costs of care at an earlier stage.

"Age Cymru calls on the Welsh Government to examine these proposals in detail and to bring forward plans for Wales without unnecessary delay. 

"We believe that people in Wales need certainty over the costs they could face and that this is an opportunity for the Welsh Government to put forward proposals that are specific to Wales and that help protect the least well-off in our communities."