Social care: PM to unveil overhaul of sector in England

Controversial: Politics & Govt Politics & Govt: In The News
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Boris Johnson will vow to end “catastrophic costs” for social care users in England when he sets out long-awaited reform proposals later. The prime minister will announce the plans to MPs, alongside money to help the NHS respond to the Covid pandemic. He is expected to breach election promises and raise National Insurance (NI) by about 1.25%. And the plan has prompted a backlash from some of his own Tory MPs.

It is widely accepted that major changes are needed to the social care system, which helps older and working-age disabled people with day-to-day tasks, such as washing, dressing, eating and medication.

Labour said it agreed with the need of reform, but criticised the proposed rise in NI, saying it would unfairly target young people and lower earners. A 1.25% increase to NI would mean someone on a £30,000 salary would pay an additional £255 per year.

But the BBC’s political editor Laura Kuenssberg understands that after late night talks, ministers agreed pensioners in work would also have to pay the new “health and social care levy” - despite people being exempt from NI payments after reaching state pension age.

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi told BBC Breakfast the plans to “deal with a broken social care system” represented “truly historic and ambitious reform”.

“One-in-seven people pay £100,000 or more for their social care, so in my view that nettle has to be grasped,” he said.

The BBC also understands Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to suspend the so-called “triple lock” on pensions - designed so rises in state pensions were not overtaken by the rising cost of living.

More later … :069:

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this sounds almost like a socialist govt?

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Yes but it will hit the lower paid the most
Higher earners for example who earn 250000 a year will see their contribution go from 2% to 3% hardly fair

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Is this the plan Boris Johnson told us was ready to go in 2019?

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Having seen these so called major changes to this that and the other over the years by successive governments one has to ask will anything really change. The NHS doesn’t need more money thrown at it, it needs a serious shakeup, and blaming the pandemic as bad as it no doubt was for all our woes is a smoke screen to cover up some serious mismanagement.

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Poor young people they will have to pay for us .

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Summary

  1. PM Boris Johnson announces a new UK-wide “health and social care levy” to address the funding crisis
  2. The tax will begin as a 1.25% rise in National Insurance from April 2022, and will be a separate tax on earned income from 2023
  3. He tells MPs the move - which he accepts breaks a manifesto commitment - will raise almost £36bn over the next three years
  4. The plans place a cap on the amount individuals can spend over their life, with the taxpayer funding costs on top of this
  5. From October 2023, no one starting care in England will be forced to spend more than £86,000 over their lifetime
  6. Anyone who has assets of less than £20,000 will have their care costs fully covered by the state
  7. The PM says this will protect people from the “catastrophic fear of losing everything”
  8. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer calls the proposals “a sticking plaster over gaping wounds”
  9. The changes will only apply in England, as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have separate arrangements for social care
  10. The reforms were agreed by the Cabinet this morning

Obviously, there will be some opposition … :roll_eyes:

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I was about to castigate Boris, for getting us into such a mess that taxes have to go up.

Then I realised, (1) The horrendous financial hit caused by Covid.
and (2) The damage being done by our friends, the EU.
and (3) The incompetency of the NHS, spending & planning.
and (4) the vanishing Doctors.

Thank heavens the other lot didn’t get in! But, some political competition might help quite a bit.

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And still nothing being done about the billions lost each year due to tax evasion. Strange that.

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@Omah , There is a flaw with items 6& 7 in your post Omah ?
Where Boris says that the £20000 limit on assets will remove the fear of
losing everything for these people?
How can anyone with virtually nothing possibly lose anything ??just another
sign of how out of touch these tories are lmo !!
Donkeyman! :-1::worried::-1:

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Lets not forget the corruption during the COVID pandemic.
PPI bought in by labour which means health boards paying billions in fees and rents etc
The mountains of red tape brought in by both Tories and Labour.
The amount of money wasted within the NHS is phenomenal a lot cause by ridiculous rules on how health boards source practically anything.
Then you have those at the bottom being poorly paid whilst the part time consultants are handsomely rewarded and getting an annual bonus on top.

My own health board management has been found not fit for purpose by an independent review and that happened was a few people were shuffled around and the CEO resigning with a very handsome payout.

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@Primus, That is done to reduce the risk of billionaires leaving UK for
tax reasons Primus!
Strange, the last time l looked they had allready left , and are living in Monaco,
Singapore and Virgin lslands etc!!
Our government need to smell coffee !!
Donkeyman! :-1::-1:

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I guess this is the best news for someone with a house who is long term chronically ill and in fear of their partner or children having nowhere to live etc.

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I’m not too sure what all the fuss is about. The Government has just spent an unimaginable fortune giving people money for not working. There are apparently lots of unfilled jobs out there. We are still in the middle of a pandemic. The treasury is being pulled left right and centre in terms of what needs to be funded. There is only so much an economic system can bear.

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… not the first tory government in power on a vow not to increase taxes.

But shit happens. :102:

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Took me a while to find this thread because it seems to have acquired a few tags… is this the same as white papers being buried in the long grass?

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Business is like driving. A company, like a car owner, does not only avoid tax, there are always other unethical behaviours happening too.

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This government doesn’t care about hard working everyday people. If they did, they would be going after the people that have been screwing everyone and who can actually afford to help out :icon_rolleyes:

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If you create an environment where assets are seized then suddenly you become the type of country nobody wants to invest in.

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did that come from the Amazon manifesto … when they ponder their tax liability.