Health Secretary Defends Social Care Plans Saying ‘Everyone Will be Better Off’
Health & Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid has defended the government’s health and social care plans after critics said they would hit those less well off.
Mr has said “everyone, doesn’t matter where they live in the country, will be better off” under the Government’s new social care plans.
The government has however have faced mounting criticism for changes to proposals which critics have said will mean poorer recipients of care, including those in the north of England and in areas with lower house prices, will be hit hardest by a cap on costs, amid reports that senior Tory MPs were urging the Prime Minister to ditch the plans or risk being forced into a U-turn.
Sir Andrew Dilnot, who made previous care cap proposals, said those with fewer assets would see no benefit from the government’s plans.
Tory MPs in the government’s ‘red wall’ seats in the north have threatened to oppose the plans when they are voted on this week in Parliament.
t Mr Javid, speaking on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One said that Sir Andrew was only comparing his own proposals with the Government’s plan.
The Health Secretary said: “No-one will have to pay more than £86,000, doesn’t matter who they are, where they live in the country.”
When questioned that that not everyone has assets of more than £86,000, Mr Javid replied: “That’s where we’ve set the cap, so to protect you from catastrophic costs, because most people’s care journey is not that long, most people’s care journey is a couple of years.
“But one in, I think it’s around one in seven people, have costs higher than £86,000.
“What we have also done, which is very different to what Andrew had set out in his original plans, is we’ve got a much more generous means test.
“So what our plans mean, taken together, is that everyone, everyone – doesn’t matter where they live in the country – will be better off under the new proposals that we set out, versus the current system. Everyone will be better off.”
