A delay to the social care cap would be a “hammer blow” for millions of people waiting for the cap to come into place to make later life plans, according to Just Group’s Care Report 2022.
The retirement specialist said that nearly six in 10 (59%) over-75s were delaying making their own financial plans for residential care until the government policy is successfully implemented.
From October 2023, the government is set to introduce a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone in England will need to spend on their personal care. However, Just Group said planning for care gives people more choice of when and where they receive care and the standard of care obtained.
Current levels of understanding of how the care system works and how it is funded are low and likely to fall further if the government fails to implement its plans next year.
Stephen Lowe, group communications director at Just Group, said: “You can’t expect people to engage with care planning when the goalposts keep moving. It is only by sticking to the announced plan and communicating the policy details that people will have the confidence to start putting in place arrangements.
“Our report looked forward to a brighter future built on a clear plan and timetable. Yet, already there is speculation the care reforms will be delayed or even scrapped, another casualty of a government struggling to govern.
“It is a catastrophic failure to deliver on much-needed reforms which were so close and yet now seem so far away and will be a hammer blow for families up and down the country.”
Lowe warned that without planning, decisions are often made when emotions are running high, choices are limited and family members may not agree on the best course of action. Furthermore, the number of over-85s in the UK is expected to nearly double in size to 3.1 million people by 2045 which is going to place the care system under greater pressure.
Lowe added: “We urge the government to stick to their original timetable so that people in England can plan securely and confidently for any care needs that may require to help them achieve a better later life.”
