Defiant May: I want to stop elderly having to sell homes
THERESA May tackled criticism of her social care shakeup head-on last night, as she insisted she had listened to public concerns.
The Prime Minister was repeatedly pressed over the issue by audience members during a live TV debate on Sky News.
Mrs May, whose election campaign was knocked off course by a row over the issue, warned that Britain’s creaking social care system ‘will collapse’ unless it is given a radical shake up.
She defended Tory manifesto plans that will guarantee no-one has to sell their home to pay for care while they are alive.
The plans will also ensure that people are able to pass on at least £100,000 of their assets, regardless of their care costs – four times the current level. And, following criticism, Mrs May last week confirmed that the Tories would also introduce an overall cap on care costs.
The Prime Minister accused the opposition of ‘scaremongering’ over the issue by trying to caricature Tory plans as a ‘dementia tax’.
And she insisted that the Conservative approach would ensure longterm sustainability for the crisis-hit social care system. People are having to sell their houses to pay their care bills and many find they cannot leave them to their families,’ she said. ‘I want to take that risk away, ensuring no one will have to sell their house to pay for care in their lifetime and ensure they can have protected at least £100,000.’
Tackled over the decision to change her mind on the care cap, she added: ‘I saw a lot of scaremongering and recognised there would be a lot of worry, and clarified that there would be a cap.’
Mrs May said the overall changes, which will see millions of better-off pensioners lose their annual winter fuel allowance, worth up to £300, would be ‘fairer to younger generations’. She was tackled over the fact that Scottish pensioners will keep their winter fuel allowance, but said this was a product of devolution. During a tough interview with Jeremy Pax- man,for collapsesgunfire’.off hadbe sels.for The the tough Britainbeing alreadyShe PrimeMrs criticism vowedin at a May during Ministershowntalks ‘blowhardthe was andto first withthe she stand brushed mockedsaid sign BrexitBrus- could whoshe upof negotiations.marchbeen soughtThe dentedPrimeto back contrast Minister,in to recentNo her 10 whose toughdays, has reputationbyn’s She pointedsoft stancewith out Jeremyon that Brexit. BrexitCortalksjust 11 will days beginafter nextin earnestweek’s election,to ‘know what saying you’reit was doing’. vital
And she accepted a portrayal of her by Tory grandee Kenneth Clarke as being ‘bloody difficult’ – but said it was what Britain needed at ‘an important moment for our country’.
Asked by an audience member about her reputation for being ‘difficult’, she said preparedright’.whatis Sometimesdifficult.’the Mrs rightshe audiencedrivesMay She wasto for was added:me you fight ‘someonetheas – cheeredneed doingfor she country.‘That what whoto whatcon- be byis is is firmedwalk Brusselsain, than saying:a away badshe tries from‘No was deal.to deal preparedpunishthe Someis talks better Brit-peo- toif ple about would in be punishingEuropea bad are deal.us talking– Somethat peopleup to anythingare prepared– that to would sign be Thea bad PM deal.’ declined to say how big a Brexit ‘divorce bill’ she would be willing to pay, but insisted: ‘I don’t think it will be about paying money to get a deal.’ But she faced criticism over school funding reforms, with audience members mocking her suggestion that no-one could guarantee school budgets would rise.