Boris Johnson brushes looming MP rebellion over social care under the carpet
Boris Johnson has narrowly managed to push through controversial plans to cut down social care support for poorer households, despite 19 Conservative MPs rebelling against the policy.
The government’s plans were only just won, by 272 votes to 246 despite the government having an 80-strong majority in the Commons.
The removal of means-tested support from the government’s calculation of the cap (£86,000) means pensioners with higher-value homes will receive greater protection against their care costs than those whose homes are worth less.
The prime minister was called out last night in the Commons by his own backbench MPs for significant social care reforms which would unduly affect pensioners with lower-value homes.
Tory MPs were livid about the social care plans which, they argued, would disproportionately hit poorer would-be Conservative voters, particularly in the Midlands and the north.
Under the new social care plan, which the prime minister insisted was more generous than the current system, people with assets under £20,000 will not have to contribute towards their care costs from October 2023, while those with over £100,000 worth of assets will pay for everything up to £86,000.
But for those with assets between £20,000 – £100,000, while they can qualify for council help, they will eventually have to pay up to £86,000 towards their care.
Following the amendment to the Health and Care Bil local authorities will cover care costs above the £86,000 cap using funding from a new health and social care tax, according to ministers.