Conservative manifesto for General Election 2017: Tens of thousands face being hit by new costs for care

Manifesto pledges: Prime Minister Theresa May
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Robin de Peyer18 May 2017
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Tens of thousands more people could be forced to pay for be looked after in their own homes in old age under plans to be unveiled by Theresa May today.

Launching the Conservative General Election manifesto, the Prime Minister will unveil reforms aimed at tackling the social care funding crisis.

At present, those with assets of £23,250 or more are liable to have to pay for their social care.

Under plans to be announced by Mrs May, this will quadruple to £100,000. However, the value of people’s homes will now be included in means tests – meaning more people will be liable to contribute to the cost of being looked after.

The PM is also set to announce:

  • Winter fuel payments for wealthy pensioners will be scrapped. It will become a means-tested, rather than universal benefit, meaning it will only be paid to the least well-off pensioners.

  • A pledge to cut net migration to the tens of thousands.

  • Plans to protect consumers from rip-off tariffs imposed by energy companies.

  • The right to ask employers for up to a year of unpaid leave from work to care for relatives.

  • Free school breakfasts for all primary school children to replace free school lunches for all infants.

  • David Cameron's pledge not to raise income tax, VAT or national insurance to be scrapped.

The Tories will also guarantee that no one, no matter how high their care costs, will have to sell their family home during their lifetime by extending deferred payment arrangements to cover care at home.

In her manifesto foreword the PM said: "This manifesto sets out a vision for Britain's future not just for the next five years, but beyond.

"The next five years are the most challenging that Britain has faced in my lifetime.

"Brexit will define us: our place in the world, our economic security and our future prosperity.

General Election 2017 Campaign - In pictures

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"People are rightly sceptical of politicians who claim to have easy answers to deeply complex problems.

"It is the responsibility of leaders to be straight with people about the challenges ahead and the hard work required to overcome them.

Ahead of the publication of the Tory manifesto, Labour produced a dossier listing what it claimed were 50 broken Conservative promises.

Labour's campaign chief Andrew Gwynne said: "Theresa May pretends otherwise, but she is a politician with a track record of failure and broken promises.

"From the economy to the NHS, and policing to schools, Theresa May's Tories have failed again and again to deliver on the pledges they made."

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