So the Conservative manifesto is out and now we know their plans for dealing with car in our old age. Of course, the Labour cretins are already spouting that they’re penalising defenceless pensioners and are going to risk killing a few off…
Let’s look at the simple one first – the winter fuel payment. Every year each pensioner household gets a coupe of hundred quid towords their energy bills. I general spend it on a case of decent wine, but I digress. Labour say that abolishing it will hit the worse off and pensioners will die because they can’t afford to heat their homes.
This is patent scare mongering from McDoughnut and co. The Tories are not intending to take it away from the poorest people because they’re going to means test it. So people like me won’t get it and I’ll have to buy a case less of decent wine at Christmas or fund it myself. To me – and I suspect many other in my financial position – it’s sensible. for the poorest pensioners, it’ll not effect them. More Project Fear from Labour!
Now let’s look at care costs and what’s proposed. At the moment people who are looked after in residential homes must pay for their care if they are judged to have assets worth more than £23,250 and those assets include their property.
Under the new scheme, they will be assessed to get a picture of their finances and if their combined savings and property are valued at more than £100,000, they will need to pay for their care. If they want to hang on to their home, they can defer payment. The state will deduct the cost from their estate when they die.
So on the face of it, instead of selling your home to fund care you’ll get to keep it until you die. Those in residential homes currently pay when they have assets of £23,250 and that will rise to £100,000 so it’s hard to see how this can be spun as leaving them in a worse position however hard the other parties may try.
What’s labour’s solution to addressing pensioners paying for their care? Well, I studied the manifesto. On page 54, it bangs on a lot about what it calls ‘dignity for pensioners’ yet strangely there is no mention of care costs. If I’ve missed it, please tell me where it is.
It’s a knotty problem, but as far as I can see the Conservatives are at least talking about it and putting forward a plan. Labour just seem to be ignoring and accepting the status quo, whilst at the same time slagging of the Conservatives. Predictable really…