Skip to content

Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale OBE MP

Primary Menu
  • Home
  • About
    • About John
    • About Maldon
  • Local News
  • Westminster News
  • Speeches
  • Campaigns
  • Contact John
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Social Care Cap
  • Campaigns

Social Care Cap

JohnWhittingdale November 29, 2021 3 min read

I have had a number of constituents contact me about the vote on the social care cap last week, and to ask why I voted in support of the changes. I am clear that the proposals which have been set out will deliver the changes needed where others have failed and see a significant improvement on the system that is in place today. 

Let me be clear – nobody—not one person—will be “worse off” than under the current system. Currently, around half of all older adults in care receive some state support for their care costs. This will rise to roughly two thirds under these reforms.

The Government is proposing to cap the amount that anyone will be forced to spend on personal care costs in their lifetime at £86,000. That is a seismic and historic change in the way we pay for care in England. Lower-income households will be large net beneficiaries from the proposals so fare, with the poorest households gaining most (as a proportion of income). The 20% highest income households will contribute more than 40 times that of the 20% lowest income households.

Regarding suggestions that all care be free, I personally agree with the Prime Minister when he says that a universal system of free care for all would be needlessly expensive when those who are wealthy enough to contribute to their care should do so.

The new upper capital limit of £100,000 is more than four times the current limit of £23,250, ensuring that many more people are eligible for some means-tested Local Authority support. The Government estimates that, when these reforms are implemented, around 150,000 people will be directly benefiting at any one point in time. They say that everybody, however, will benefit from the certainty and security that if they or their loved ones need personal care, they will no longer face unpredictable and unlimited costs.

Under the new reforms, those who have assets below £20,000 will not have to pay anything for their care from their assets. However, people may still need to make a contribution towards their care costs from their income. I support these reforms, which ensure that those who can afford to will contribute more to their care.

Over the coming months, the Government will be working alongside the social care sector to develop a “Blueprint for Adult Social Care” which will set out further details on proposals, including new support for unpaid carers, investment in housing and technology and better information to help those who need care to navigate the system. I note that many desire to see these reforms go further. The Government will be opening a consultation on the charging reforms soon and I would encourage anyone to take part and make their views known in this way.

This is an important start to reforming social care in this country and I look forward to seeing how the Government’s plans progress. As your MP, I can assure you that I will be engaged in all discussions about these reforms and continue to represent the views of constituents.

Given that the proposals on the table are not yet finalised, but are better than what we currently have, I believed that I should support the Government on this, at least until we have more information. I do, however, believe that it is important that we have an impact assessment before this legislation is voted through Parliament.

Continue Reading

Previous: Royal Mail Delays
Next: GP Surgeries Update

Related Stories

Child Poverty
1 min read
  • Campaigns

Child Poverty

June 2, 2025
Planning and Infrastructure Bill
2 min read
  • Campaigns

Planning and Infrastructure Bill

May 29, 2025
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
2 min read
  • Campaigns

Israeli–Palestinian conflict

May 23, 2025

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Newsletter

Recent Posts

  • Education Questions
  • Iran-Israel Conflict
  • Local Multi-Sport Facilities Receive Government Support Under New Programme
  • Statement on Nuclear Investment and what it means for Bradwell-on-Sea
  • Nuclear Power: Investment
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Newsletter
Copyright © All rights reserved. | MoreNews by AF themes.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT