The Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has today announced an overhaul of the way that social care is funded in England. Unlike NHS Continuing Healthcare, social care funding is means tested, so the level at which councils contribute to care costs are based on the value of savings and assets held by an individual.

The underlying details of the Government’s plan for social care are yet to be clarified, so we’re unsure how it will impact the Continuing Healthcare system. Based on what we know now, Beacon’s Managing Director, Dan Harbour, has said:

“We welcome the fact that, at long last, financial measures to make social care funding fairer and more sustainable are to be introduced. It’s shocking to think that these plans are based on the Dilnot Commission recommendations which were first made to David Cameron’s government ten years ago. Until now, reform of the system has been repeatedly kicked into the long grass.

“We are pleased to see changes to the financial thresholds at which councils will cover social care costs. When the policy comes into effect, anyone with less than £20,000 will have all their social care costs funded. Anyone with assets of up to £100,000 can expect some financial support.

“Currently, only those with less than £14,250 could get full funding, and if you had more than £23,250 you receive no financial help.

“It’s also great to hear that there will be a total lifetime cap on care costs. However, the £86,000 cap is much higher than the Dilnot Commission recommended. There are also some underlying issues that cloud the figures, for example, people going into a care home will still need to pay for accommodation which can add tens of thousands in the associated costs of care borne by individuals or their families.

”We await all the details, at which point we’ll have a better understanding of the impact on the cost of ongoing healthcare and the NHS Continuing Healthcare system.”